II Chronicles 13, Abijah

After Solomon's death, Rehoboam became king and the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms. The southern kingdom, ruled by Rehoboam, consisted of Judah, Benjamin and some refugees from the north. It contained the capital Jerusalem and the temple. The southern kingdom is often called Judah.  The northern kingdom is often called Israel, Samaria or Ephraim and was first ruled by a usurper, Jeroboam.

Rehoboam has died and his son Abijah is king. It is about 915 BC.

2 Chronicles 13: 1-2, Abijah

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother's name was Maacah, a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

We learn a little more about Abijah, including the fact that his mother was "Maacah, daughter of Uriel." We will learn more about Maacah in chapter 15.

There continues to be warfare with the northern kingdom.

2 Chronicles 13: 3-7, Battle with Jeroboam

Abijah went into battle with a force of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops. Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, 

"Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! Don't you know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master. Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam son of Solomon when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them.

Abijah insists that the eternal covenant given to David involves Jerusalem and Judah. He calls the people of the northern kingdom to return to Judah. (This is done without electronic amplification, so, like speechmakers of old, Abijah would have had a thunderous voice. Or his speech is to leaders of Jeroboams army.)

The figures given for troop sizes are extraordinary, given the size of the smaller kingdom of Judah. One again, it is possible that the Hebrew reads "four hundred chiefs/clans" and "eight hundred chiefs/clans." (Commentators differ.) 

Salt was often used to ratify a covenant. It is not clear the role of salt in God's covenant with David; the phrase may merely emphasize the certainty of the covenant.

2 Chronicles 13: 8-12,

"And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the LORD, which is in the hands of David's descendants. You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. But didn't you drive out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.

"As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the LORD our God. But you have forsaken him.

God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. Men of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed."

Abijah points to the golden calves of Jeroboam, made to replace the temple in Jerusalem. He points out that their priests are worshipers of those idols and so when people make sacrifices with the priests, they are worshiping the idols. Instead the people are invited to return to worship the true God in Jerusalem. That God, says Abijah, will lead the Judeans to victory.

Payne says that the Chronicler records this battle, along with Abijah's speech, because it displays the conflict between Samaria and Judah, a conflict that Ezra must deal with five centuries later. This battle is not recorded in the briefer account of Abijah's reign in 1 Kings 15:1-7.

2 Chronicles 13: 13-15, Ambush

Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them. Judah turned and saw that they were being attacked at both front and rear. Then they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. At the sound of their battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

Apparently while Rehoboam is addressing Israel, Jeroboam has set up an ambush. In response, the people of Judah call on God. The priest blow trumpets, the men of Judah shout a battle cry and the army of Jeroboam is routed. The credit here is given to God, who really provided the victory.

2 Chronicles 13: 16-18, God's victory

The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands. Abijah and his men inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men.

The men of Israel were subdued on that occasion, and the men of Judah were victorious because they relied on the LORD, the God of their fathers.

God has protected the people of His temple, the people of Judah.

2 Chronicles 13: 19-20, Captured towns

Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and Ephron, with their surrounding villages. Jeroboam did not regain power during the time of Abijah. And the LORD struck him down and he died.

The results of Abijah's victory is capture of various towns and villages. Jeroboam's power is greatly reduced. Eventually, like all kings, he died. The Chronicler gives the credit of that death, like the victory, to YHWH. Jeroboam stubbornly disobeyed YHWH and so was ultimately defeated.

2 Chronicles 13: 21-22, Many wives and sons

But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. The other events of Abijah's reign, what he did and what he said, are written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.

Abijah, in the terms of the ancient Near East, was a wealthy man. He is rewarded with fourteen wives and twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. The prophet Iddo kept the records on his reign.