The Divided Kingdom

And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Beth-el with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephron with the towns thereof.

Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and Jehovah smote him, and he died.

But Abijah waxed mighty, and took unto himself fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo.

So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Jehovah his God:

for he took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and brake down the pillars, and hewed down the Asherim,

and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun-images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

And he built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Jehovah had given him rest.

For he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Jehovah our God; we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.

And Asa had an army that bare bucklers and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valor.

And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and he came unto Mareshah.

Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

And Asa cried unto Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, there is none besides thee to help, between the mighty and him that hath no strength: help us, O Jehovah our God; for we rely on thee, and in thy name are we come against this multitude. O Jehovah, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

So Jehovah smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto Gerar: and there fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Jehovah, and before his host; and they carried away very much booty.

And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of Jehovah came upon them: and they despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them.

They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem.

And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:

and he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Jehovah is with you, while ye are with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law:

but when in their distress they turned unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.