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.
10. But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, who minister unto the LORD, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their service:
11. And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the showbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but you have forsaken him.
12. And, behold, God himself is with us as our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight not against the LORD God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper.
13. But Jeroboam sent an ambush to come around behind them: so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
14. And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.
15. Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
16. And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
17. And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
18. Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God of their fathers.