1. In the eighteenth year of the reign of King Jeroboam of Israel, Abijah became king of Judah,
2. and he ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Micaiah daughter of Uriel, from the city of Gibeah.War broke out between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3. Abijah raised an army of 400,000 soldiers, and Jeroboam opposed him with an army of 800,000.
4. The armies met in the hill country of Ephraim. King Abijah went up Mount Zemaraim and called out to Jeroboam and the Israelites: “Listen to me!” he said.
5. “Don't you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, made an unbreakable covenant with David, giving him and his descendants kingship over Israel for ever?