Information Retrieved -> 2 Chronicles 13 - 14(NLT)

Book Chapter Verse Text
2 Chronicles 13 1 Abijah began to rule over Judah in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam's reign in Israel.
2 Chronicles 13 2 He reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother was Maacah, a daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Then war broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.
2 Chronicles 13 3 Judah, led by King Abijah, fielded 400,000 seasoned warriors, while Jeroboam mustered 800,000 courageous men from Israel.
2 Chronicles 13 4 When the army of Judah arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim and shouted to Jeroboam and the Israelite army: "Listen to me!
2 Chronicles 13 5 Don't you realize that the LORD, the God of Israel, made an unbreakable covenant with David, giving him and his descendants the throne of Israel forever?
2 Chronicles 13 6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, who was a mere servant of David's son Solomon, became a traitor to his master.
2 Chronicles 13 7 Then a whole gang of scoundrels joined him, defying Solomon's son Rehoboam when he was young and inexperienced and could not stand up to them.
2 Chronicles 13 8 Do you really think you can stand against the kingdom of the LORD that is led by the descendants of David? Your army is vast indeed, but with you are those gold calves that Jeroboam made as your gods!
2 Chronicles 13 9 And you have chased away the priests of the LORD and the Levites and have appointed your own priests, just like the pagan nations. You let anyone become a priest these days! Whoever comes to be dedicated with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these so-called gods of yours!
2 Chronicles 13 10 "But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. Only the descendants of Aaron serve the LORD as priests, and the Levites alone may help them in their work.
2 Chronicles 13 11 They present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD every morning and evening. They place the Bread of the Presence on the holy table, and they light the gold lampstand every evening. We are following the instructions of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him.
2 Chronicles 13 12 So you see, God is with us. He is our leader. His priests blow their trumpets and lead us into battle against you. O people of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed!"
2 Chronicles 13 13 Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them.
2 Chronicles 13 14 When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the LORD for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets,
2 Chronicles 13 15 and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and the Israelite army and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah.
2 Chronicles 13 16 The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat.
2 Chronicles 13 17 Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; there were 500,000 casualties among Israel's finest troops that day.
2 Chronicles 13 18 So Judah defeated Israel because they trusted in the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
2 Chronicles 13 19 Abijah and his army pursued Jeroboam's troops and captured some of his towns, including Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, along with their surrounding villages.
2 Chronicles 13 20 So Jeroboam of Israel never regained his power during Abijah's lifetime, and finally the LORD struck him down and he died.
2 Chronicles 13 21 By contrast, Abijah of Judah grew more and more powerful. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
2 Chronicles 13 22 The rest of the events of Abijah's reign, including his words and deeds, are recorded in The Commentary of Iddo the Prophet.
2 Chronicles 14 1 When Abijah died, he was buried in the City of David. Then his son Asa became the next king. There was peace in the land for ten years,
2 Chronicles 14 2 for Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the LORD his God.
2 Chronicles 14 3 He removed the pagan altars and the shrines. He smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles.
2 Chronicles 14 4 He commanded the people of Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands.
2 Chronicles 14 5 Asa also removed the pagan shrines, as well as the incense altars from every one of Judah's towns. So Asa's kingdom enjoyed a period of peace.
2 Chronicles 14 6 During those peaceful years, he was able to build up the fortified cities throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the LORD was giving him rest from his enemies.
2 Chronicles 14 7 Asa told the people of Judah, "Let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates, and bars. The land is ours because we sought the LORD our God, and he has given us rest from our enemies." So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion.
2 Chronicles 14 8 King Asa had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Both armies were composed of courageous fighting men.
2 Chronicles 14 9 Once an Ethiopian named Zerah attacked Judah with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots. They advanced to the city of Mareshah,
2 Chronicles 14 10 so Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Mareshah.
2 Chronicles 14 11 Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, "O LORD, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. O LORD, you are our God; do not let mere men prevail against you!"
2 Chronicles 14 12 So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa and the army of Judah, and the enemy fled.
2 Chronicles 14 13 Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar, and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the LORD and his army, and the army of Judah carried off vast quantities of plunder.
2 Chronicles 14 14 While they were at Gerar, they attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the LORD came upon the people there. As a result, vast quantities of plunder were taken from these towns, too.
2 Chronicles 14 15 They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem.
Home