Old/New Testament

Judah’s King Abijah

13 In the eighteenth year^(A) of Israel’s King Jeroboam, Abijah^[a] became king over Judah, ² and he reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah^[b](B) daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah.

There was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. ³ Abijah set his army of warriors in order with four hundred thousand fit young men. Jeroboam arranged his mighty army of eight hundred thousand fit young men in battle formation against him. ⁴ Then Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim,^(C) which is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Jeroboam and all Israel, hear me. ⁵ Don’t you know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever^(D) by a covenant of salt?^{(E) 6} But Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord.^{(F) 7} Then worthless and wicked men gathered around him to resist Rehoboam son of Solomon when Rehoboam was young, inexperienced, and unable to assert himself against them.

⁸ “And now you are saying you can assert yourselves against the Lord’s kingdom, which is in the hand of one of David’s sons. You are a vast number and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.^{[c](G) 9} Didn’t you banish the priests of the Lord, the descendants of Aaron and the Levites, and make your own priests like the peoples of other lands do?^(H) Whoever comes to ordain himself^(I) with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest^(J) of what are not gods.^(K)

¹⁰ “But as for us, the Lord is our God. We have not abandoned him; the priests ministering to the Lord are descendants of Aaron, and the Levites serve at their tasks. ¹¹ They offer a burnt offering and fragrant incense to the Lord every morning and every evening,^(L) and they set the rows of the Bread of the Presence on the ceremonially clean table.^(M) They light the lamps of the gold lampstand every evening. We are carrying out the requirements of the Lord our God, while you have abandoned him.^{(N) 12} Look, God and his priests are with us at our head. The trumpets are ready to sound the charge against you. Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”^(O)

¹³ Now Jeroboam had sent an ambush^(P) around to advance from behind them. So they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. ¹⁴ Judah turned and discovered that the battle was in front of them and behind them, so they cried out to the Lord.^(Q) Then the priests blew the trumpets, ¹⁵ and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. When the men of Judah raised the battle cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.^{(R) 16} So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God handed them over to them.^{(S) 17} Then Abijah and his people struck them with a mighty blow, and five hundred thousand fit young men of Israel were killed. ¹⁸ The Israelites were subdued at that time. The Judahites succeeded because they depended on the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

¹⁹ Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured some cities from him: Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron,^[d] along with their surrounding villages. ²⁰ Jeroboam no longer retained his power^[e] during Abijah’s reign; ultimately, the Lord struck him^(T) and he died.^(U)

²¹ However, Abijah grew strong, acquired fourteen wives, and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. ²² The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, along with his ways and his sayings, are written in the Writing^(V) of the Prophet Iddo.^(W)

14 Abijah rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa became king in his place.^(X) During his reign the land experienced peace for ten years.

Judah’s King Asa

² Asa did what was good and right^(Y) in the sight of the Lord his God. ³ He removed the pagan altars and the high places. He shattered their sacred pillars and chopped down their Asherah poles.^{(Z) 4} He told the people of Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to carry out the instruction and the commands. ⁵ He also removed the high places and the shrines^[f] from all the cities of Judah,^(AA) and the kingdom experienced peace under him.

⁶ Because the land experienced peace, Asa built fortified cities in Judah.^(AB) No one made war with him in those days because the Lord gave him rest.^{(AC) 7} So he said to the people of Judah, “Let’s build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, with doors and bars.^(AD) The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God. We sought him and he gave us rest on every side.” So they built and succeeded.

The Cushite Invasion

⁸ Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah bearing large shields and spears,^(AE) and two hundred eighty thousand from Benjamin bearing regular shields and drawing the bow. All these were valiant warriors. ⁹ Then Zerah the Cushite came against them with an army of one million men and three hundred^[g] chariots. They came as far as Mareshah. ¹⁰ So Asa marched out against him and lined up in battle formation in Zephathah Valley at Mareshah.^(AF)

¹¹ Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God,^(AG) “Lord, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on you,^(AH) and in your name we have come against this large army. Lord, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you.”

¹² So the Lord routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah,^(AI) and the Cushites fled. ¹³ Then Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar.^(AJ) The Cushites fell until they had no survivors, for they were crushed before the Lord and his army. So the people of Judah carried off a great supply of loot. ¹⁴ Then they attacked all the cities around Gerar because the terror of the Lord was on them.^(AK) They also plundered all the cities, since there was a great deal of plunder in them. ¹⁵ They also attacked the tents of the herdsmen and captured many sheep and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

The Anointing at Bethany

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany^(A) where Lazarus^[a] was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead.^{(B) 2} So^(C) they gave a dinner for him there; Martha^(D) was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair.^(E) So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

⁴ Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot^(F) (who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii^[b](G) and given to the poor?” ⁶ He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief.^(H) He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

⁷ Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of my burial.^{(I) 8} For you always have the poor with you,^(J) but you do not always have me.”

The Decision to Kill Lazarus

⁹ Then a large crowd of the Jews learned he was there. They came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, the one he had raised from the dead.^{(K) 10} But the chief priests had decided to kill Lazarus also, ¹¹ because he was the reason many of the Jews were deserting them^[c] and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

¹² The^(L) next day, when the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³ they took palm branches^(M) and went out to meet him. They kept shouting:

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey^(Q) and sat on it, just as it is written:

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first. However, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him^(T) and that they had done these things to him.

¹⁷ Meanwhile, the crowd, which had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb^(U) and raised him from the dead, continued to testify.^{[f] 18} This is also why the crowd met him, because they heard he had done this sign. ¹⁹ Then the Pharisees said to one another, “You see? You’ve accomplished nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” ^(V)

Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion

²⁰ Now some Greeks were among those who went up to worship at the festival. ²¹ So they came to Philip,^(W) who was from Bethsaida^(X) in Galilee,^(Y) and requested of him, “Sir,^(Z) we want to see Jesus.” ²² Philip went and told Andrew;^(AA) then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

²³ Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man^(AB) to be glorified. ²⁴ Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat^(AC) falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.^{(AD) 25} The one who loves his life will lose it,^(AE) and the one who hates^(AF) his life^(AG) in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant^(AH) also will be.^(AI) If anyone serves me, the Father will honor^(AJ) him.