1. Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.
2. He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
3. And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valor.
4. And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in the mountains of Ephraim, and said, Hear me, you Jeroboam, and all Israel;
5. Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?
6. Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, has risen up, and has rebelled against his lord.
7. And there are gathered unto him worthless men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
8. And now do you think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David; and you are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.
9. Have you not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made yourselves priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.