2 Chronicles 13:16 kjv
And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.
2 Chronicles 13:16 nkjv
And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.
2 Chronicles 13:16 niv
The Israelites fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hands.
2 Chronicles 13:16 esv
The men of Israel fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hand.
2 Chronicles 13:16 nlt
The Israelite army fled from Judah, and God handed them over to Judah in defeat.
2 Chronicles 13 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Chron 13:4-12 | Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim… "As for us, the Lord is our God… we have not forsaken him." | Abijah's argument for Judah's righteousness. |
| 2 Chron 13:15 | As Judah shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. | God's active involvement in battle. |
| Deut 28:7 | "The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you..." | Promise of divine victory for obedience. |
| Josh 10:8 | The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hand..." | God delivering enemies. |
| Judg 1:2 | The Lord said, "Judah shall go up; indeed, I have given the land into his hand." | God's sovereign handing over of power. |
| Judg 3:28 | He said to them, "Follow after me, for the Lord has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand." | Divine empowerment in conquest. |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | "...for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands." | Acknowledgment of God's control in battle. |
| 1 Sam 23:4 | Then the Lord answered him and said, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand." | God ensures victory for His people. |
| 1 Chr 5:20 | They cried to God in battle… and he helped them because they trusted in Him. | Divine aid for those who trust God. |
| Ps 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Reliance on God for victory. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | No king is saved by the size of his army... A horse is a false hope for deliverance... | God, not human might, grants victory. |
| Ps 44:5 | Through You we push down our foes; through Your name we trample down those who rise against us. | God empowers His people to defeat enemies. |
| Prov 21:30-31 | No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord... Victory belongs to the Lord. | Human plans are futile without God's favor. |
| Isa 31:1 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help... who do not look to the Holy One of Israel. | Warning against reliance on human strength. |
| Isa 31:3 | The Egyptians are men, not God... when the Lord stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble... | Contrast between human and divine power. |
| Jer 21:7 | "After this," declares the Lord, "I will give Zedekiah king of Judah... into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar." | God delivering people into enemy hands as judgment. |
| Hos 13:16 | Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God; they will fall by the sword. | Judgment against Israel for rebellion. |
| Zech 4:6 | "...'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts." | Victory by divine Spirit, not human strength. |
| Matt 25:41 | Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you accursed ones...' | Judgment against those separated from God. |
| Rom 9:22 | What if God, desiring to show His wrath and to make known His power...? | God's display of power through judgment. |
| Heb 4:1 | Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. | Consequences of spiritual disobedience. |
2 Chronicles 13 verses
2 Chronicles 13 16 Meaning
2 Chronicles 13:16 describes the decisive defeat of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, led by Jeroboam, by the forces of the Southern Kingdom of Judah under King Abijah. The verse explicitly states that Israel "fled" from Judah and attributes this victory to direct divine intervention, proclaiming that "God delivered them into his hand" (Abijah's). This signifies God's judgment upon Israel's apostasy and His endorsement of Judah's adherence to the Davidic covenant and the legitimate worship in Jerusalem.
2 Chronicles 13 16 Context
2 Chronicles chapter 13 focuses on the war between Abijah, King of Judah, and Jeroboam, King of Israel. This battle is highly significant for the Chronicler because it serves as a theological validation of Judah's legitimacy as God's chosen kingdom and the true heir of the Davidic covenant, over the apostate Northern Kingdom. Prior to this verse, King Abijah delivers a lengthy and fervent speech (2 Chron 13:4-12) to the armies of Israel, reminding them of God's covenant with David, the legitimacy of the Aaronic priesthood in Judah, and contrasting it with Jeroboam's illegitimate priesthood and idolatrous calf worship. He specifically points out that Judah has the Lord their God with them because they have not forsaken Him. The verse immediately preceding 13:16 (13:15) describes Judah's cry to the Lord and the trumpets' blast, followed by God's direct intervention in striking Jeroboam and Israel. The verse immediately following (13:17) emphasizes the vast casualties suffered by Israel, highlighting the completeness of God's judgment.
2 Chronicles 13 16 Word analysis
- And the children of Israel: Refers to the Northern Kingdom, under Jeroboam, who had split from Judah after Solomon's death (1 Kgs 12).
- fled: (Heb. וַיָּנֻ֙סוּ֙, wa-yā·nusū, Qal imperfect, "and they fled"). This verb indicates a hurried, panicked, and disorderly retreat, signifying total defeat. It suggests their spirit was broken, and their resistance collapsed under the force of the attack, divinely aided.
- before Abijah: Implies a pursuit, with Abijah's forces pressing the rout. It underscores Abijah's victory on the battlefield as the instrument of God's will.
- and God: (Heb. וֵֽאלֹהִ֞ים, wē·ʾĕlōhīm). This is the absolute, most crucial phrase in the verse. The Chronicler makes it abundantly clear that the victory was not merely due to Judah's military prowess or strategic advantage, but to the direct, sovereign intervention of Yahweh. This polemic directly refutes any notion that Jeroboam's strength or false gods could prevail against the true God of Israel. It emphasizes divine agency over human strength.
- delivered them: (Heb. וַיִּתְּנֵ֛ם, wa-yit·tə·nêm, Qal imperfect, "and He gave them"). The verb natan means "to give, place, set, deliver." Here, it signifies that God handed over the enemy to Abijah. This is a common biblical expression for God granting victory, showing divine sovereignty in battle outcomes.
- into his hand: (Heb. בְּיַ֣דּוֹ, bə·yaddō). "His" refers to Abijah. This phrase indicates being put under one's power, control, or at one's disposal. It implies complete subjugation and that Abijah became the instrument through which God's judgment was executed. The "hand" often symbolizes power and authority.
2 Chronicles 13 16 Bonus section
- The overwhelming victory described in this battle, where a much larger army of Israel was defeated by Judah, strongly reinforces the Chronicler's theological agenda that God fights for those who remain faithful to Him and His appointed worship. It mirrors earlier narratives of unlikely victories achieved through divine intervention in Judges (e.g., Gideon) and Samuel (e.g., David vs. Goliath).
- The repeated emphasis on Judah's adherence to the Davidic covenant and the Aaronic priesthood in Abijah's speech directly confronts the illegitimate kingship and corrupt worship of Jeroboam's kingdom, presenting this battle as a spiritual conflict with profound theological implications beyond a mere political skirmish.
- This passage functions as a didactic piece, instructing post-exilic Judah (the Chronicler's primary audience) on the absolute necessity of loyalty to YHWH, the Temple, and the Levitical priesthood for national prosperity and divine favor, drawing a clear lesson from past consequences of disobedience.
2 Chronicles 13 16 Commentary
2 Chronicles 13:16 is a concise, theologically potent statement, the linchpin of the Chronicler's narrative about the war between Abijah and Jeroboam. The preceding verses emphasize Judah's cry to God (2 Chron 13:14) and Abijah's powerful declaration of Judah's covenant fidelity. This verse is the direct result. It is not Judah's strategic genius or military strength that brings victory, but God Himself who "smote" Israel (v. 15) and "delivered them." This is a foundational Chronicler theme: fidelity to God brings blessing and victory, while apostasy leads to defeat and judgment. The account validates the Southern Kingdom's spiritual and political legitimacy and the exclusive authority of the Jerusalem Temple priesthood against Jeroboam's religious innovations (golden calves at Bethel and Dan). The rout of Israel serves as a stark warning and divine judgment on their idolatry and rebellion against the Davidic lineage chosen by God.