2 Chronicles 13
Abijah takes Judah’s throne
In Jeroboam's 18th year of being Israel's King, Abijah began to reign over Judah. He reigned for three years from Jerusalem. His mother was Micaiah (the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah).
Judah declares war on Israel for abandoning God
There was a war between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah took Judah to battle with an army of 400,000 warriors, and Jeroboam took Israel to battle with army of 800,000. Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the rural part of Ephraim and said, “Listen up, Jeroboam and Israel! As you know, Israel's God the Existing One appointed David's lineage to rule over Israel forever. Yet Jeroboam (Nebat's son & Solomon's servant) rose up and rebelled against the royal lineage. Certain worthless scoundrels supported him and defiled Rehoboam (Solomon's son) when he was young and inexperienced.
“Now you think that you can resist the Existing One's kingdom under David's lineage just because you outnumber us and worship Jeroboam's golden calves as gods. I know how you replaced the Existing One's priests, Aaron's descendants, and the Levites with your own priests just like the pagan countries! You ordain anyone with a young bull or seven rams, appointing them as priests of your non-gods, while we stick with the Existing One who is still our God. Our priests are descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and they minister to the Existing One. They offer to the Existing One each morning, burn offerings each evening, burn incense, set out the showbread on the pure gold table, and keep the lampstand lit every night. We follow the orders that our God the Existing One gave us, while you’ve abandoned him. God is with our leadership, and his priests call you to battle with their trumpets. Oh, Israel's descendants: don't fight against your ancestors' God the Existing One, because you cannot win.”
Judah ambushes Israel & defeats them for God
Jeroboam sent his troops to flank them from behind, so Judah got ambushed from behind. They cried to the Existing One: the priests blew their trumpets, and Judah's men shouted. When they shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and the Israelites in front of Judah and King Abijah. Judah watched as the Israelites fled and God handed them over to Judah. Abijah and his people struck them down and killed 500,000 of Israel's best men. So Israel was conquered and Judah prevailed since they relied on their forefathers' God the Existing One. Abijah chased after Jeroboam and took his cities: Bethel with its villages, Jeshanah with its villages, and Ephron with its villages. Jeroboam’s power was never restored for as long as Abijah was alive. Instead, the Existing One struck him down and killed him, while Abijah only grew stronger. Abijah had 14 wives, 22 sons, and 16 daughters, and the rest of his history is recorded in the story of Iddo (the prophet) including his ways and his sayings.