2 Chronicles 13 — Abijah’s Appeal and Victory — Hebrew and Greek compared
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 13 — Abijah’s Appeal and Victory
Abijah and the opposing armies
Verse 13:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:1] In King Jeroboam’s eighteenth year, Abijah became king over Judah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:1] In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, Abijah became king over Judah.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both synchronize Abijah’s accession with Jeroboam’s eighteenth year.
Verse 13:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:2] He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:2] He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Ouriel from Gabaon. There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names Micaiah from Gibeah; Greek names Maacah from Gabaon, the Greek form of Gibeon. Neither name nor town is harmonized with the other column or the preceding genealogy.
Verse 13:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:3] Abijah arrayed the battle with an army of mighty warriors, four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam arrayed the battle against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, mighty in strength.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:3] Abijah arrayed the battle with a force of powerful warriors, four hundred thousand mighty men. Jeroboam arrayed the battle against him with eight hundred thousand, mighty warriors of strength.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both give four hundred thousand against eight hundred thousand. Hebrew emphasizes selection; Greek repeatedly emphasizes might.
Abijah’s appeal
Verse 13:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:4] Abijah stood upon Mount Zemaraim in Ephraim’s hill country and said, “Hear me, Jeroboam and all Israel!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:4] Abijah stood on Mount Somoron in Ephraim’s hill country and said, “Listen, Jeroboam and all Israel!
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The mountain is Zemaraim in Hebrew and Somoron in Greek. Greek lacks me after listen.
Verse 13:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:5] Should you not know that YHWH, Israel’s God, gave David kingship over Israel forever, to him and his sons by a covenant of salt?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:5] Should you not know that the Lord, Israel’s God, gave kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons, a covenant of salt?
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both explicitly ground the Davidic kingship in a perpetual covenant of salt; the image is retained.
Verse 13:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:6] Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, servant of Solomon son of David, arose and rebelled against his lord.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:6] Yet Jeroboam, Nabat’s son, servant of Solomon, David’s son, arose and withdrew from his lord.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both depict the former royal servant breaking allegiance; Hebrew explicitly calls it rebellion.
Verse 13:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:7] Worthless men, sons of wickedness, gathered around him and prevailed against Rehoboam son of Solomon. Rehoboam was young and fainthearted and could not stand firm before them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:7] Pestilent men, lawless sons, gathered to him, and he opposed Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. Rehoboam was younger and cowardly in heart and did not withstand him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew attributes the opposition to a group and ends before them; Greek uses singular he opposed and withstand him. The king’s weakness is described differently. The speech’s young designation is retained alongside the accession age stated in 12:13.
Verse 13:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:8] Now you think you can stand firm against YHWH’s kingdom in the hands of David’s sons. You are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves Jeroboam made for you as gods.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:8] Now you say you will stand against the Lord’s kingdom through the hands of David’s sons. You are a great multitude, and with you are the gold calves Jeroboam made for you as gods.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Both describe opposition to divine kingship mediated through David’s sons and identify the rival calves as gods made by Jeroboam.
Verse 13:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:9] Have you not driven out YHWH’s priests, Aaron’s sons, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of the lands? Anyone coming to fill his hand with a young bull and seven rams becomes a priest of what is no god.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:9] Did you not expel the Lord’s priests, Aaron’s sons, and the Levites, and make priests for yourselves from the people of the land? Anyone approaching to fill his hands with a calf from the cattle and seven rams became a priest to the god who does not exist.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew says like the peoples of the lands; Greek says from the people of the land, shifting from comparison to recruitment. Both preserve the filling-of-hands installation idiom and the offering of one bovine animal with seven rams.
Verse 13:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:10] But as for us, YHWH is our God, and we have not abandoned Him. The priests who minister to YHWH are Aaron’s sons, and the Levites attend to their work.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:10] But we have not abandoned the Lord our God. His priests minister to the Lord, Aaron’s sons, and the Levites in their appointed courses.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew first makes an explicit confession, YHWH is our God; Greek joins the designation to the non-abandonment statement. Greek names the Levites’ courses where Hebrew has their work.
Verse 13:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:11] They burn offerings to YHWH every morning and every evening, with fragrant incense; the bread is arranged on the pure table, and the gold lampstand and its lamps burn every evening. For we keep the charge of YHWH our God, but you have abandoned Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:11] They burn whole burnt offerings to the Lord morning and evening, and compounded incense; bread is presented upon the pure table, and the gold lampstand and its burning lamps are kindled in the evening. For we keep the charges of the Lord, our fathers’ God, but you have abandoned Him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek has compounded incense, explicitly calls the lamps burning lamps, and changes our God to our fathers’ God. Both enumerate regular sacrifices, incense, bread, and lighting.
Verse 13:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:12] Look, God is with us at our head, with His priests and the trumpets of alarm to sound against you. Israel’s sons, do not fight YHWH, your fathers’ God, for you will not succeed!”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:12] Look, the Lord is with us in command, with His priests and the signal trumpets to signal against you. Israel’s sons, you will fight against the Lord, our fathers’ God, for it will not prosper for you!”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew explicitly prohibits fighting; Greek has a future you will fight without a negative. The Greek could be heard as a rhetorical challenge, but its missing prohibition is not silently supplied. Greek also has Lord rather than God and our fathers rather than your fathers. Both warn of failure.
The battle, victory, and succession
Verse 13:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:13] Jeroboam sent an ambush around to come behind them. His forces were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:13] Jeroboam turned the ambush around to come behind them. He was in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew uses a plural subject for the force in front; Greek has a singular construction. Both describe the flanking ambush.
Verse 13:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:14] Judah turned, and look, the battle was before and behind them! They cried to YHWH, and the priests sounded the trumpets.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:14] Judah turned, and look, the battle was before and behind them! They cried to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both connect the discovery of encirclement with a cry to God and priestly trumpet blasts.
Verse 13:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:15] Judah’s men shouted. As Judah’s men shouted, God struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:15] Judah’s men cried out. As Judah’s men cried out, the Lord struck Jeroboam and Israel before Abijah and Judah.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has God and all Israel; Greek has the Lord and Israel without all. Both attribute the decisive blow to God during Judah’s cry.
Verse 13:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:16] Israel’s sons fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:16] Israel’s sons fled before Judah, and the Lord handed them over into their hands.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: The divine designation changes from God to Lord; Hebrew has singular hand, Greek plural hands.
Verse 13:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:17] Abijah and his people struck them a great blow, and five hundred thousand chosen men of Israel fell slain.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:17] Abijah and his people struck them a great blow, and five hundred thousand mighty men of Israel fell wounded.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew explicitly has slain; Greek uses wounded, which can include mortal wounds in battle and does not establish that they survived. Both retain the large number five hundred thousand.
Verse 13:18 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:18] Israel’s sons were humbled at that time, while Judah’s sons prevailed, because they relied on YHWH, their fathers’ God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:18] Israel’s sons were humbled on that day, while Judah’s sons prevailed, because they hoped in the Lord, their fathers’ God.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Hebrew says at that time and relied; Greek says on that day and hoped. Both explain Judah’s strength by dependence on God.
Verse 13:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:19] Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured cities from him: Bethel and its dependent towns, Jeshanah and its dependent towns, and Ephrain and its dependent towns.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:19] Abijah pursued Jeroboam and seized cities from him: Baithel and its villages, Isana and its villages, and Ephron and its villages.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew’s dependent-town idiom is literally daughters; Greek uses villages. The final place has differing source forms, displayed Hebrew Ephrain and Greek Ephron, retained without textual correction.
Verse 13:20 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:20] Jeroboam did not regain strength in Abijah’s days. YHWH struck him, and he died.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:20] Jeroboam had no strength again throughout all Abijah’s days. The Lord struck him, and he died.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: Greek adds all to the period. Both keep the divine blow and death in the narrative sequence without supplying a harmonized date.
Verse 13:21 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:21] Abijah grew strong and took fourteen wives. He fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:21] Abijah grew strong and took fourteen wives. He fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: All three household totals agree.
Verse 13:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:22] The rest of Abijah’s deeds, his ways, and his words are written in the exposition of Iddo the prophet.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:22] The remaining deeds of Abijah, his acts, and his words are written in the book of Addo the prophet.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has ways and midrash, rendered exposition; Greek has acts and book. This named work has not been independently consulted.
Verse 13:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 13:23] Abijah lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city. Asa his son became king in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 13:23] Abijah died with his fathers, and they buried him in David’s city. Asa his son became king in his place. In Asa’s days Judah’s land was quiet for ten years.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek uses died with his fathers and explicitly identifies Asa and Judah in the closing peace notice. Both source editions place this verse at 13:23; it corresponds to 14:1 in many English Bibles.