2 Chronicles 13:3

2 Chronicles 13:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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 valour.
• New International Version (NIV)Abijah went into battle with an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men, and Jeroboam drew up a battle line against him with eight hundred thousand able troops.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Abijah set the battle in order with an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand choice men. Jeroboam also drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand choice men, mighty men of valor.

Context of 2 Chronicles 13:3

1Abijah became king of Judah after Jeroboam had been king of Israel for 18 years. 2Abijah ruled in Jerusalem as king for three years. His mother's name was Micaiah. She was the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. Abijah and Jeroboam fought a war against each other. Abijah attacked with an army of 400,000 brave soldiers that he had chosen. Jeroboam prepared to fight against him with 800,000 strong brave soldiers that he had chosen. 4Abijah went to stand on Mount Zemaraim, in the hill country of Ephraim. He shouted, ‘Listen to me, Jeroboam and all you Israelites! 5The Lord, Israel's God, has chosen David and his descendants to be kings of Israel for all time. You know that God has promised that must happen.

2 Chronicles 13:3 word by word

וַיֶּאְסֹ֨ר אֲבִיָּ֜ה אֶת־הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה בְּחַ֙יִל֙ גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י מִלְחָמָ֔ה אַרְבַּע־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף אִ֣ישׁ בָּח֑וּר ס וְיָרָבְעָ֗ם עָרַ֤ךְ עִמּוֹ֙ מִלְחָמָ֔ה בִּשְׁמוֹנֶ֨ה מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֛לֶף אִ֥ישׁ בָּח֖וּר גִּבּ֥וֹר חָֽיִל׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abijahאֲבִיָּ֫הוּ, אֲבִיָּה'ăbîyâh 'ăbîyâhû · AbijahH29
• setאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
• the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• with an armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• of valiant menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
• fourאַרְבַּע'arba‛ 'arbâ‛âh · fourH702
• hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• chosenבָּחַרbâchar · to chooseH977
• menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• Jeroboamיָֽרָבְעָםyârob‛âm · JeroboamH3379
• in arrayעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
• against him with eightשְׁמֹנֶהshemôneh shemôneh shemônâh shemônâh · eightH8083
• of valourחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428

Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 13:3

• 1 Samuel 17:1The Philistine army came together. They were ready to fight the Israelites. They met together near Socoh, a town in Judah. They put up their tents at Ephes Dammim between Socoh and Azekah.
• 2 Chronicles 11:1Rehoboam arrived back in Jerusalem. He brought together all the men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin who knew how to fight. There were 180,000 of them. Rehoboam wanted to attack the Israelite tribes so that he could rule them again as king.
• 2 Chronicles 14:8Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah. They carried big shields and spears. He also had 280,000 men from Benjamin's tribe. Those men carried small shields and they could shoot arrows with their bows. They were all brave soldiers who could fight well.
• 2 Chronicles 17:14These are the groups of the soldiers in each clan: From Judah's tribe, the officer who led the soldiers was Adnah. He had authority over 300,000 soldiers, in groups of 1,000.
• 2 Chronicles 26:12There were 2,600 family leaders who led the groups of soldiers.
• 1 Chronicles 21:5Joab reported to David about the number of soldiers who could fight. There were 1,100,000 men in all Israel who could fight with swords. There were 470,000 men in Judah who could fight with swords.
• 2 Chronicles 14:9A man from Ethiopia called Zerah marched out to attack Judah. He had a very big army of a million soldiers and 300 chariots. When he reached Mareshah,

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 13:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Abijah set the battle in array - The numbers in this verse and in the seventeenth seem almost incredible. Abijah's army consisted of four hundred thousand effective men; that of Jeroboam consisted of eight hundred thousand; and the slain of Jeroboam's army were five hundred thousand. Now it is very possible that there is a cipher too much in all these numbers, and that they should stand thus: Abijah's army, forty thousand; Jeroboam's eighty thousand; the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3It has been proposed to change the numbers, here and in 2 Chronicles 13:17, into 40,000,80,000, and 50,000 respectively - partly because these smaller numbers are found in many early editions of the Vulgate, but mainly because the larger ones are thought to be incredible. The numbers accord well, however, with the census of the people taken in the reign of David 1 Chronicles 21:5, joined to the fact which the writer has related 2 Chronicles 11:13-17, of a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3The conflict between Rehoboam and Jeroboam (see 2 Chronicles 12:15) continued into Abijah's reign. Abijah might have tried to reunite the north and south, as suggested by his speech (2 Chronicles 13:5–12). The large number of soldiers on each side is similar to David’s census (2 Samuel 24:9). Israel's larger army highlights God's help for Judah (2 Chronicles 13:14–19).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Abijah set the battle in array--that is, took the field and opened the campaign. with ... four hundred thousand chosen men ... Jeroboam with eight hundred thousand--These are, doubtless, large numbers, considering the smallness of the two kingdoms. It must be borne in mind, however, that Oriental armies are mere mobs--vast numbers accompanying the camp in hope of plunder, so that the gross numbers described as going upon an Asiatic expedition are often…Read the comment

In the dictionaries

• Abijah
• Jeroboam
• Abia, Abiah, or Abijah
• Abijah or Abijam
• Four Hundred
• Bamah
• Chronicles, Books of
• Four
• Israel, History of
• Israel, Kingdom of

Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings