2 Chronicles 13: Kingdom Divided – Clear & Engaging Audio Bible Reading | War between Israel and Judah, Abijah’s Message to Jeroboam, and God’s Intervention

Listen to this clear and engaging audio recording of 2 Chronicles 13 and explore the events that led to the division of the kingdom of Israel and Judah. The chapter narrates the war between Abijah and Jeroboam, Abijah’s message to Jeroboam, God’s intervention to give victory to Judah, and the aftermath of the battle. Perfect for studying Scripture, meditation or reflection, immerse yourself in this powerful chapter and allow the Word of God to speak to you.

2 CHRONICLES 13 (NIV)

1 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam, Abijah became king of
Judah,

2 and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was
Maakah, a daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.
There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

3 Abijah went into battle with an
army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle
line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.

4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim, and said,
“Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me!

5 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?

6 Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, an official of
Solomon son of David, rebelled against his master.

7 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.

8 “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.

9 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.

10 “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.

11 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.

12 God is with us; he is our
leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you.
People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors,
for you will not succeed.”

13 Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in
front of Judah the ambush was behind them.

14 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

15 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.

16 The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them
into their hands.

17 Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so
that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel’s able men.

18
The Israelites were subdued on that occasion, and the people of Judah were
victorious because they relied on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

19 Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took from him the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah and
Ephron, with their surrounding villages.

20 Jeroboam did not regain power
during the time of Abijah. And the Lord struck him down and he died.

21 But Abijah grew in strength. He married fourteen wives and had twenty-two
sons and sixteen daughters.

22 The other events of Abijah’s reign, what he did and what he said, are
written in the annotations of the prophet Iddo.