The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 13:1 Explained

2 Chronicles 13:1

KJV: Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

YLT: In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam -- Abijah reigneth over Judah;

Darby: In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

ASV: In the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

Discover 2 Chronicles 13:1

CONTEXT: What is the Context of 2 Chronicles 13:1?

MEANING: What does 2 Chronicles 13:1 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 13:1 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in 2 Chronicles 13:1?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now in the eighteenth  year  of king  Jeroboam  began Abijah  to reign  over Judah. 

What does 2 Chronicles 13:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Abijah generally did not please God ( 1 Kings 15:3). However there was the instance the Chronicler recorded in which he spoke out in favor of the temple, the priests, and the Levites against the apostate Jeroboam I and Israel.
This is the only place in Chronicles where the writer linked the reigns of the southern and northern kings ( 2 Chronicles 13:1-2). He may have done this to identify the occasion on which Abijah made his speech, since he and Jeroboam were constantly fighting. Abijah took the offensive this time, even though Jeroboam"s army outnumbered his two soldiers to one ( 2 Chronicles 13:3). Since the town of Zemaraim lay within the territory of Benjamin ( Joshua 18:22), this battle must have taken place near the border between Ephraim (Israel) and Judah. Abijah charged Israel with fighting against Yahweh, since the Judahites had remained faithful to Him, evidenced by their following the proper worship requirements ( 2 Chronicles 13:11-12). Judah won because the people relied on Yahweh ( 2 Chronicles 13:15; 2 Chronicles 13:18).
"It is hard to avoid the thought that, in biblical theology, weakness is a positive advantage, because it is a prerequisite of reliance (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:10)." [1]
The reference to a "covenant of salt" ( 2 Chronicles 13:5) suggests the connection between the ratification of a treaty and a meal ( Exodus 24:11) at which salt provided the seasoning (cf. Leviticus 2:13). Normally participants sealed covenants by eating a meal together. What is more important, salt as a preservative symbolized the covenant-makers" hope that their agreement would last a long time (cf. Numbers 18:19). [2]
The real difference between the Southern and Northern Kingdoms was theological. Judah was relying on what God had done, but Israel was trusting in what she could do. The temple site and ritual were God"s provision for His people (cf. Genesis 22:14). Israel had rejected these, and had set up a system of her own devising that she hoped would make her acceptable to God. Israel had rejected God"s grace and had adopted a works system of worship.
This chapter is the only assessment in Chronicles of the Northern Kingdom"s sin. From here on, the writer"s attention focused on Judah primarily.
Other evidences of God"s blessing on Abijah were the cities he was able to take from Israel ( 2 Chronicles 13:19), the death of his enemy, Jeroboam ( 2 Chronicles 13:20), his power ( 2 Chronicles 13:21), and his many children ( 2 Chronicles 13:21). Though marrying many wives was a sin, fathering many children was an evidence of divine blessing (fruitfulness). The writer"s notation "the treatise of the prophet Iddo" ( 2 Chronicles 9:29) is literally in Hebrew "the midrash of the prophet Iddo." A midrash is a commentary (cf. 2 Chronicles 24:27).

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 13

1  Abijah succeeding makes war against Jeroboam
4  he declares the right of his cause
13  Trusting in God, he overcomes Jeroboam
21  The wives and children of Abijah

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 13:1 mean?

In the year eight [and] ten of King Jeroboam and became king Abijah over Judah
בִּשְׁנַ֛ת שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יָרָבְעָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ אֲבִיָּ֖ה עַל־ יְהוּדָֽה

בִּשְׁנַ֛ת  In  the  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שְׁמוֹנֶ֥ה  eight 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: שְׁמֹנֶה  
Sense: eight, eighth.
עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה  [and]  ten 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂר 
Sense: ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers).
לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  of  King 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יָרָבְעָ֑ם  Jeroboam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרָבְעָם  
Sense: the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 0 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign.
וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ  and  became  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
אֲבִיָּ֖ה  Abijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִיָּה 
Sense: king of Judah, son and successor of Rehoboam.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְהוּדָֽה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Chronicles 13:1?

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Similar Scriptures for 2 Chronicles 13:1

2 Chronicles 12:16 [3]
1 Kings 15:1-8 [2]