2 Chronicles 13:17 kjv
And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.
2 Chronicles 13:17 nkjv
Then Abijah and his people struck them with a great slaughter; so five hundred thousand choice men of Israel fell slain.
2 Chronicles 13:17 niv
Abijah and his troops inflicted heavy losses on them, so that there were five hundred thousand casualties among Israel's able men.
2 Chronicles 13:17 esv
Abijah and his people struck them with great force, so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men.
2 Chronicles 13:17 nlt
Abijah and his army inflicted heavy losses on them; 500,000 of Israel's select troops were killed that day.
2 Chronicles 13 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deu 28:7 | “The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before your eyes…” | God ensures victory for obedience. |
| Josh 10:10 | And the LORD confounded them before Israel, and He slaughtered them with a great slaughter… | God grants great slaughter to His people. |
| Jdg 7:22 | When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade… | God’s power trumps numerical superiority. |
| 1 Sam 14:6 | “Perhaps the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” | God can deliver with any number. |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | …the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands.” | Ultimate victory comes from the Lord. |
| 2 Sam 8:5-6 | …the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer…David killed 22,000…and Damascus became David’s servants. | Divine power ensures large scale victory. |
| 2 Kgs 19:35 | And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the LORD went out and killed in the camp…185,000. | God’s judgment can lead to immense deaths. |
| 1 Chr 5:20 | …for they cried to God in the battle. He granted their appeal because they trusted in Him. | God answers prayer and grants victory to trusting. |
| 2 Chr 13:5 | "Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever...?" | Emphasis on Davidic covenant and legitimacy. |
| 2 Chr 13:8-9 | Abijah rebukes Jeroboam for his golden calves and false priests, warning against rebellion. | The reason for God's judgment on Israel. |
| 2 Chr 13:12 | “God Himself is with us for our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets…” | Judah’s reliance on God as their leader. |
| 2 Chr 14:11-12 | Asa cries out to God against the immense Cushite army, and God defeats them. | God delivers against vast armies for faith. |
| 2 Chr 20:6 | Jehoshaphat’s prayer: “Are You not God in heaven…and in Your hand is power and might…” | Acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and power. |
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. | Trust in God, not military might. |
| Psa 33:16-17 | No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. | Human strength is insufficient for salvation. |
| Psa 44:3 | For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them… | God’s power is the source of victory and possession. |
| Psa 9:16 | The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. | God's justice seen in the defeat of the wicked. |
| Psa 118:6-7 | The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is for me… | Confidence in God's protective presence. |
| Isa 10:25 | For yet a very little while and the indignation will cease…and My anger will be directed to their destruction. | God’s ultimate destruction of His enemies. |
| Isa 31:1 | Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help…but do not look to the Holy One of Israel… | Warning against relying on human alliances over God. |
| Rom 9:15-16 | “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy…” So then it is not of him who wills…but of God… | God's sovereignty in salvation and judgment. |
| Heb 11:32-34 | ...who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions… | Faith enables divine victories. |
2 Chronicles 13 verses
2 Chronicles 13 17 Meaning
2 Chronicles 13:17 describes a decisive victory granted by God to King Abijah of Judah over King Jeroboam of Israel. It states that Abijah and his forces inflicted a massive defeat on Jeroboam’s army, resulting in an exceptionally high number of casualties – five hundred thousand of Israel's choicest soldiers. This immense slaughter demonstrates divine intervention and judgment against Jeroboam's apostasy, highlighting the protective hand of God over those who remain faithful to Him and His established worship.
2 Chronicles 13 17 Context
This verse is situated during a period of intense rivalry between the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah. King Jeroboam had led the ten northern tribes in rebellion against Rehoboam (Solomon's son) and established a separate religious system with golden calves in Bethel and Dan to prevent his people from returning to Jerusalem for worship (1 Kgs 12). This was a direct affront to God's chosen sanctuary and priesthood. Abijah, Rehoboam's son and King of Judah, inherited this conflict. In 2 Chronicles 13, Abijah confronts Jeroboam on the battlefield, despite Judah having a much smaller army (400,000) compared to Israel's 800,000. Prior to the battle, Abijah delivers a powerful sermon to Jeroboam’s army, appealing to them to acknowledge the legitimacy of the Davidic dynasty and the true worship of Yahweh in Jerusalem. He warns them that their rebellion against Judah is rebellion against the Lord Himself (2 Chron 13:4-12). Despite Israel's numerical superiority, Judah prays to the Lord, the priests sound the trumpets, and "God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah" (2 Chron 13:15). Verse 17 then describes the horrific result of God's intervention, underscoring the divine judgment on the unfaithful kingdom of Israel and a massive victory for Judah.
2 Chronicles 13 17 Word analysis
- So Abijah and his people: King Abijah (אֲבִיָּה - 'Abiyyah, "my father is Yah") led the army of Judah. His leadership here is seen as instrumental, but the narrative later clarifies that the victory was God's doing.
- struck them: (וַיַּכּוּם - vayyakkuym from נָכָה - nakah, "to strike, smite, beat down, wound"). This verb is frequently used in the Bible for inflicting heavy blows in battle, often implying a divine agent behind the action when used in the context of overwhelming victories (e.g., God striking down enemies).
- with a great slaughter: (מַכָּה גְדוֹלָה - makkah gědōlāh).
- Makkah (מַכָּה - "slaughter, blow, plague, defeat") denotes a massive defeat, often catastrophic.
- Gedōlāh (גְדוֹלָה - "great, large, powerful") emphasizes the enormity of the destruction. The phrase signifies a decisive and devastating rout, going beyond a simple battle victory to suggest an act of divine judgment.
- so there fell wounded of Israel: (וַיִּפְלוּ חֲלָלִים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל - vayyiphlu chalalîm miyyiśrā'ēl).
- Vayyiphlu (וַיִּפְלוּ from נָפַל - naphal, "to fall") indicates death in battle, a common idiom for battle casualties.
- Chalalîm (חֲלָלִים - "wounded, slain, pierced ones") specifically refers to those who are slain, usually by sword or spear, in battle. It implies not just "wounded" as in injured, but those "fatally wounded" or "slain."
- five hundred thousand chosen men: (חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף אִישׁ בָּחוּר - khămēsh mē’ōth ’eleph ’îsh bāḥûr).
- Ḥamēsh mē’ōth ’eleph (חֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף) is the staggering number 500,000. This is an enormous figure for ancient warfare, prompting discussion among scholars. It may signify: 1) A literal number, demonstrating the sheer destructive power enabled by God's intervention. 2) A rounded or stylized number, conveying total devastation and an overwhelming divine victory, emphasizing the magnitude of God’s judgment more than precise casualties.
- ’Îsh bāḥûr (אִישׁ בָּחוּר - "chosen men") refers to picked soldiers, highly skilled warriors, or an elite fighting force. The loss of so many prime warriors was crippling for Israel.
2 Chronicles 13 17 Bonus section
The large casualty figure of 500,000 for Israel underscores a crucial point about the Chronicler's theology: God's justice is absolute, and His power to execute it is boundless. While ancient battle casualty reports can sometimes employ hyperbole, the primary message remains clear: the extent of this defeat was a direct result of divine intervention, making it one of the most devastating military losses recorded in the Old Testament. This event served to establish the authority and divine backing of the kingdom of Judah as the legitimate inheritor of the Davidic covenant and the center of true worship, even in the face of ongoing division with the Northern Kingdom. It demonstrates God actively participating in the history of His people to uphold His purposes and punish rebellion.
2 Chronicles 13 17 Commentary
2 Chronicles 13:17 encapsulates the devastating outcome of God's judgment upon the rebellious kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam. The battle, numerically unfavorable to Judah, turned into a crushing defeat for Israel, not because of Judah's superior strategy or strength, but because "God struck Jeroboam and all Israel" (2 Chron 13:15). Abijah's prior appeal to God and His covenant, juxtaposed with Jeroboam's reliance on his large army and idols, highlights a central theme: human strength and rebellion against divine decree are futile before the omnipotence of God. The five hundred thousand fallen chosen men serve as a stark and horrific monument to this truth, illustrating that God will not be mocked and He will uphold His covenant with His people when they humble themselves and trust in Him. This was a direct vindication of Judah’s true worship and a severe consequence for Israel’s idolatry and schism, crippling their military capacity for a generation. It serves as a historical reminder of the serious nature of covenant disobedience.