Abia, coming to the throne of Juda in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam,

reigned three years at Jerusalem; his mother was called Michaia, daughter of Uriel from Gabaa. Between Jeroboam and Abia, a state of war continued.

With four hundred thousand warriors, picked men all, Abia came out to offer battle, and with eight hundred thousand, picked men too, Jeroboam came out to meet him.

It was at mount Semeron, in Ephraim, and there Abia took his stand; Here is a message, he cried, for Jeroboam, a message for all the men of Israel.

Doubt there is none that the Lord God of Israel has pledged the kingship of it to David and all his heirs for all time, by an oath inviolable.

Yet here is Jeroboam, son of Nabat, that held office under king Solomon, David’s heir, rebelling against his own master;

here are restless spirits, upstart rogues, have rallied to his side, and had their way against Roboam, that was true heir to Solomon. What could he do to withstand them, so new to his task and so faint-spirited?

Think you now to maintain yourselves against that kingdom which David’s line rules by divine commission? Your numbers indeed are many; but what gods protect you? Only the golden calves Jeroboam made for you.

For these, you have cast out the priests of the Lord, Aaron’s race, and the Levites with them; you must needs make priests of your own, like the heathen around you; the first comer, bring he a bull with him or seven rams for his hallowing, may be a priest, fit priest for the gods that are no gods.

Our God is the Lord, unforsaken still; the priests that serve him are of Aaron’s true breed; we have Levites to be their ministers.

Day in, day out, they offer the Lord burnt-sacrifice; incense is ours, made as the law prescribes, and the loaves set out on the hallowed table; the golden lamp-stand is ours, and the lamps ever lit at evening; the commands of the Lord our God, among you so slighted, we keep.

Here, then, is an army that has God for its leader; it is his priests that will sound their trumpets for the attack. Men of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, or it will go ill with you.

While he thus addressed himself to them, Jeroboam was laying an ambush in his rear; still confronting them, he would surround the men of Juda unawares.

And they, when they looked about them and found themselves attacked from front and rear at once, cried out to the Lord, while the priests with their trumpets sounded the alarm;

a great shout went up from the men of Juda, and as they shouted, the Lord struck terror into Jeroboam’s heart, and the hearts of all Israel that were Abia’s and Juda’s enemies;

to Juda the Lord gave the mastery, and they drove Israel before them in flight.

A great victory Abia won that day, and there were five hundred thousand of Israel’s warriors that fell;

a sore blow for Israel’s pride, and a day of great rejoicing for Juda, that put their trust in the Lord God of their fathers.

Abia pursued Jeroboam in his flight, and took three cities of his, Bethel and Jesana and Ephron, with their daughter villages,

nor, while Abia reigned, might Jeroboam any more withstand him. Afterwards the Lord’s vengeance fell on Jeroboam, and he died.

So was Abia firmly established on his throne; fourteen wives he wedded, and had twenty-two sons by them, and sixteen daughters.

What else Abia did, the life he led and all his exploits, may be found fully set down in the writings of the prophet Addo.