In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam, Abia reigned over Juda.

Anno octavodecimo regis Jeroboam, regnavit Abia super Judam.

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

Three years he reigned in Jerusalem, and his mother’s name was Michaia, the daughter of Uriel of Gabaa: and there was war between Abia and Jeroboam.

Tribus annis regnavit in Jerusalem, nomenque matris ejus Michaia filia Uriel de Gabaa: et erat bellum inter Abiam et 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.

And when Abia had begun battle, and had with him four hundred thousand most valiant and chosen men, Jeroboam put his army in array against him, eight hundred thousand men, who were also chosen and most valiant for war.

Cumque iniisset Abia certamen, et haberet bellicosissimos viros, et electorum quadringenta millia: Jeroboam instruxit econtra aciem octingenta millia virorum, qui et ipsi electi erant, et ad bella fortissimi.

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.

And Abia stood upon mount Semeron, which was in Ephraim, and said: Hear me, O Jeroboam, and all Israel:

Stetit ergo Abia super montem Semeron, qui erat in Ephraim, et ait: Audi, Jeroboam, et omnis Israël.

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.

Do you not know that the Lord God of Israel gave to David the kingdom over Israel for ever, to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Num ignoratis quod Dominus Deus Israël dederit regnum David super Israël in sempiternum, ipsi et filiis ejus in pactum salis?

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.

And Jeroboam the son of Nabat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up: and rebelled against his lord.

Et surrexit Jeroboam filius Nabat, servus Salomonis filii David, et rebellavit contra dominum suum.

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

And there were gathered to him vain men, and children of Belial: and they prevailed against Roboam the son of Solomon: for Roboam was unexperienced, and of a fearful heart, and could not resist them.

Congregatique sunt ad eum viri vanissimi, et filii Belial, et prævaluerunt contra Roboam filium Salomonis: porro Roboam erat rudis, et corde pavido, nec potuit resistere eis.

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?

And now you say that you are able to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, which he possesseth by the sons of David, and you have a great multitude of people, and golden calves, which Jeroboam hath made you for gods.

Nunc ergo vos dicitis quod resistere possitis regno Domini, quod possidet per filios David, habetisque grandem populi multitudinem, atque vitulos aureos quos fecit vobis Jeroboam in deos.

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.

And you have cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites: and you have made you priests, like all the nations of the earth: whosoever cometh and consecrateth his hand with a bullock of the herd, and with seven rams, is made a priest of those who are no gods.

Et ejecistis sacerdotes Domini, filios Aaron, atque Levitas, et fecistis vobis sacerdotes sicut omnes populi terrarum: quicumque venerit, et initiaverit manum suam in tauro de bobus, et in arietibus septem, fit sacerdos eorum qui non sunt dii.

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.

But the Lord is our God, whom we forsake not, and the priests who minister to the Lord are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites are in their order.

Noster autem Dominus, Deus est, quem non relinquimus, sacerdotesque ministrant Domino, de filiis Aaron, et Levitæ sunt in ordine suo:

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.

And they offer holocausts to the Lord, every day, morning and evening, and incense made according to the ordinance of the law, and the loaves are set forth on a most clean table, and there is with us the golden candlestick, and the lamps thereof, to be lighted always in the evening: for we keep the precepts of the Lord our God, whom you have forsaken.

holocausta quoque offerunt Domino per singulos dies mane et vespere, et thymiama juxta legis præcepta confectum, et proponuntur panes in mensa mundissima, estque apud nos candelabrum aureum, et lucernæ ejus, ut accendantur semper ad vesperam: nos quippe custodimus præcepta Domini Dei nostri, quem vos reliquistis.

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.

Therefore God is the leader in our army, and his priests who sound with trumpets, and resound against you: O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord the God of your fathers, for it is not good for you.

Ergo in exercitu nostro dux Deus est, et sacerdotes ejus, qui clangunt tubis, et resonant contra vos: filii Israël, nolite pugnare contra Dominum Deum patrum vestrorum, quia non vobis expedit.

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 spoke these things, Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind him. And while he stood facing the enemies, he encompassed Juda. who perceived it not, with his army.

Hæc illo loquente, Jeroboam retro moliebatur insidias. Cumque ex adverso hostium staret, ignorantem Judam suo ambiebat exercitu.

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 when Juda looked back, they saw the battle coming upon them both before and behind, and they cried to the Lord: and the priests began to sound with the trumpets.

Respiciensque Judas, vidit instare bellum ex adverso et post tergum, et clamavit ad Dominum, ac sacerdotes tubis canere cœperunt.

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;

And all the men of Juda shouted: and behold when they shouted, God terrified Jeroboam, and all Israel that stood against Abia and Juda.

Omnesque viri Juda vociferati sunt: et ecce illis clamantibus, perterruit Deus Jeroboam, et omnem Israël qui stabat ex adverso Abia et Juda.

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;

And the children of Israel fled before Juda, and the Lord delivered them into their hand.

Fugeruntque filii Israël Judam, et tradidit eos Deus in manu eorum.

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

And Abia and his people slew them with a great slaughter, and there fell wounded of Israel five hundred thousand valiant men.

Percussit ergo eos Abia et populus ejus plaga magna: et corruerunt vulnerati ex Israël quingenta millia virorum fortium.

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

And the children of Israel were brought down, at that time, and the children of Juda were exceedingly strengthened, because they had trusted in the Lord the God of their fathers.

Humiliatique sunt filii Israël in tempore illo, et vehementissime confortati filii Juda, eo quod sperassent in Domino Deo patrum suorum.

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.

And Abia pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel and her daughters, and Jesana with her daughters, Ephron also and her daughters.

Persecutus est autem Abia fugientem Jeroboam, et cepit civitates ejus, Bethel et filias ejus, et Jesana cum filiabus suis, Ephron quoque et filias ejus:

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

And Jeroboam was not able to resist any more, in the days of Abia: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

nec valuit ultra resistere Jeroboam in diebus Abia: quem percussit Dominus, et mortuus est.

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

But Abia, being strengthened in his kingdom, took fourteen wives: and begot two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

Igitur Abia, confortato imperio suo, accepit uxores quatuordecim: procreavitque viginti duos filios, et sedecim filias.

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

And the rest of the acts of Abia, and of his ways and works, are written diligently in the book of Addo the prophet.

Reliqua autem sermonum Abia, viarumque et operum ejus, scripta sunt diligentissime in libro Addo prophetæ.

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.