2 Chronicles 13:13 kjv
But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.
2 Chronicles 13:13 nkjv
But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
2 Chronicles 13:13 niv
Now Jeroboam had sent troops around to the rear, so that while he was in front of Judah the ambush was behind them.
2 Chronicles 13:13 esv
Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.
2 Chronicles 13:13 nlt
Meanwhile, Jeroboam had secretly sent part of his army around behind the men of Judah to ambush them.
2 Chronicles 13 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Josh 8:2 | "...you shall set an ambush for the city behind it." | God's instruction to Joshua on using ambush tactics. |
| Judg 20:29 | "And Israel set men in ambush around Gibeah." | Another biblical example of setting up an ambush. |
| 1 Sam 23:23 | "See where he hides himself and find out every place where he may hide... for I am told that he is very cunning." | Saul's pursuit of David, acknowledging tactical awareness. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | "A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope..." | Divine sovereignty over human military might and strategies. |
| Ps 7:15 | "He digs a pit and makes it deep and falls into the hole that he has made." | Those who devise schemes may become trapped by their own plots. |
| Prov 16:9 | "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." | God's ultimate direction over human intentions and plans. |
| Prov 21:30 | "No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the LORD." | Human wisdom and cunning cannot overcome divine will. |
| Isa 31:1 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... who rely on chariots and on horsemen, because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel..." | Condemnation of relying on worldly strength rather than God. |
| Jer 17:5 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength...'" | Warning against human-centered reliance, directly applicable to Jeroboam. |
| Exod 14:14 | "The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." | Assurance of God's active intervention on behalf of His people. |
| 2 Chron 13:14 | "When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them... cried to the LORD." | Immediate reaction to Jeroboam's ambush, highlighting Judah's distress and prayer. |
| 2 Chron 13:15-16 | "Then the men of Judah raised the war shout... God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel..." | The direct consequence of Judah's turning to God, leading to their victory. |
| 2 Chron 14:11 | "Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude." | King Asa's prayer for divine aid in a similar situation, mirroring Abijah's faith. |
| 2 Chron 20:22 | "When they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir..." | God using His own 'ambush' to defeat Judah's enemies. |
| Job 5:12 | "He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success." | God thwarts the schemes and clever plans of the wicked. |
| Ps 9:15-16 | "The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught." | The wicked are caught in their own traps, demonstrating God's justice. |
| Phil 3:3 | "...and put no confidence in the flesh." | New Testament emphasis on trusting God, not human ability or shrewdness. |
| Eph 6:11 | "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." | Spiritual parallel to confronting an enemy's deceitful plans. |
| 2 Cor 2:11 | "...so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs." | Acknowledging the enemy's cunning and strategies in spiritual warfare. |
| Rom 8:31 | "If God is for us, who can be against us?" | God's sovereign protection outweighs any human opposition or tactic. |
| 1 John 4:4 | "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." | Assurance that the power of God within believers surpasses worldly forces. |
| Zech 4:6 | "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts." | Victory ultimately comes from God's Spirit, not human strength or military force. |
2 Chronicles 13 verses
2 Chronicles 13 13 Meaning
2 Chronicles 13:13 describes a tactical military maneuver executed by King Jeroboam of Israel against King Abijah of Judah during their battle. Jeroboam secretly dispatched a segment of his army to circle around and position themselves behind Judah's forces. This calculated move meant that Judah's army found itself caught between two fronts: Jeroboam's main army attacking from the front, and the ambushing force assailing them from the rear, effectively creating a deadly pincer movement. The verse highlights Jeroboam's reliance on cunning and deceptive human strategy rather than trust in divine favor or righteousness.
2 Chronicles 13 13 Context
The events of 2 Chronicles 13:13 are set within the historical conflict between the two divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, ruled by Jeroboam and Abijah, respectively. The chapter opens with the armies amassed for battle: Israel boasting 800,000 chosen men against Judah's 400,000. Prior to the direct engagement, Abijah delivers a compelling address from Mount Zemaraim, speaking to Jeroboam and his vast army. In his speech, Abijah firmly grounds Judah's cause in the eternal Davidic covenant, contrasting Judah's (albeit imperfect) adherence to Yahweh's true worship, the temple, and the legitimate priesthood with Jeroboam's profound idolatry—the establishment of golden calves and the unlawful appointment of priests. This theological polemic underscores that Judah's reliance is on the Living God, while Jeroboam’s trust is in false gods and his own numerical superiority. Against the backdrop of Abijah's fervent declaration of faith, verse 13 reveals Jeroboam's immediate counter-move, showcasing his reliance on clever but ultimately faithless military strategy. This ambush creates a dire situation for Judah, making their subsequent miraculous victory (detailed in the verses following) a clear demonstration of God's sovereignty and His response to His people's cries.
2 Chronicles 13 13 Word analysis
But Jeroboam had sent (וַיָּסֶב יְרָבְעָם, vayasev Yerov‘am):
- "But" marks a strong contrast. Abijah just appealed to God and truth, but Jeroboam counters not with a spiritual answer, but a shrewd tactical one.
- The verb root for "sent" here is סבב (sāḇaḇ), meaning "to turn around, go about, surround, go in circles." It implies an intentional flanking movement rather than just a simple dispatch. Jeroboam actively engineered a circling maneuver. This shows his deceptive military cunning.
an ambush (אֶת הָאֹרֵב, ʾet haʾōrēḇ):
- ʾōrēḇ specifically refers to a lying-in-wait or a hidden troop set to spring a surprise attack. It speaks to deceit and misdirection, designed to catch the opponent unaware or from an unexpected quarter. This emphasizes Jeroboam’s reliance on trickery and not overt force, betraying a lack of divine confidence.
around to come behind them (לָבוֹא מֵאַחֲרֵיהֶם, lāvōʾ mēʾaḥărêhem):
- "around" specifies the direction of the ambush. It wasn't a head-on assault but a maneuver designed to envelop Judah.
- "to come behind them" clearly states the strategic aim: to attack from the rear. This creates a highly vulnerable situation, demonstrating a tactical trap. This was designed to put Judah in an inescapable position, signifying Jeroboam's confidence in human strategy over divine favor.
So part of Judah was before them and the ambush was behind them:
- "So" connects Jeroboam's action to its immediate outcome, illustrating the trap’s successful deployment.
- "part of Judah" refers to Judah’s entire fighting force caught in this specific, dire configuration. They are confronted on two sides.
- "before them and the ambush was behind them" precisely describes the catastrophic tactical predicament for Judah, surrounded and fighting on two fronts. This critical detail sets up the dramatic reversal that follows, magnifying God’s intervention.
2 Chronicles 13 13 Bonus section
- Literary Contrast and Setup: The specific and dire description of Judah being trapped "before and behind" heightens the narrative tension and provides the perfect backdrop for God's dramatic intervention in the subsequent verses. It makes God's victory not just a triumph, but a rescue from an inescapable snare, magnifying His glory.
- A Tale of Two Leadership Philosophies: This verse powerfully illustrates the diverging leadership philosophies of Jeroboam and Abijah. Jeroboam is the embodiment of worldly pragmatism and self-reliance, even employing deception to secure an advantage. Abijah, on the other hand, ultimately embodies faith and dependence on God, despite the initial military conflict. This sets up a polemic against rulers who rely solely on human wisdom and strength.
- Echoes in Spiritual Warfare: The concept of an "ambush" or a deceptive, multi-pronged attack finds parallels in New Testament spiritual warfare. Believers are called to be "not ignorant of Satan’s designs" (2 Cor 2:11) and to stand against the "schemes of the devil" (Eph 6:11). Just as Judah was caught unaware, so too believers can face unseen attacks from their spiritual adversary, emphasizing the crucial need for divine protection and armor.
2 Chronicles 13 13 Commentary
2 Chronicles 13:13 succinctly captures Jeroboam’s faithless strategy in the face of battle against Abijah. Rejecting Abijah’s appeal to the God of Israel and His covenant, Jeroboam instead relied on human cunning, deploying a clandestine ambush to outflank and ensnare Judah's forces. This calculated pincer movement aimed to crush Judah's smaller army by sheer surprise and tactical advantage, signifying a complete dependence on fleshly might and military deception. The Chronicler emphasizes this act of shrewdness to highlight the dire predicament Judah faced—a seemingly insurmountable military trap. This strategic setup serves a crucial narrative purpose: to demonstrate that despite human ingenuity and overwhelming odds, divine power can intervene to reverse even the most carefully laid plans. The immediate peril underscores the miraculous nature of God’s deliverance, proving that victory does not depend on numbers or tactics, but on God's intervention when His people turn to Him in distress, as Judah later does.