3. And Aḇiyah joined battle with an army of mighty men of battle, four hundred thousand choice men. And Yaroḇ‛am drew up in battle formation against him with eight hundred thousand choice men, mighty brave men.
4. And Aḇiyah stood on Mount Tsemarayim, which is in the mountains of Ephrayim, and said, “Hear me, Yaroḇ‛am and all Yisra’ĕl:
5. “Do you not know that יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl has given the reign over Yisra’ĕl to Dawiḏ forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?
6. “Yet Yaroḇ‛am son of Neḇat, the servant of Shelomoh son of Dawiḏ, rose up and rebelled against his master.
7. “And vain men gathered to him, sons of Beliya‛al, and strengthened themselves against Reḥaḇ‛am son of Shelomoh, when Reḥaḇ‛am was young and tender of heart and could not stand against them.
8. “And now you think to stand against the reign of יהוה, which is in the hand of the sons of Dawiḏ. And you are a large crowd, and with you are the gold calves which Yaroḇ‛am made for you as mighty ones.
9. “Have you not thrown out the priests of יהוה, the sons of Aharon, and the Lĕwites, and made for yourselves priests, like the peoples of the lands, so that whoever comes to ordain himself with a young bull and seven rams then becomes a priest of what are not mighty ones?
10. “But as for us, יהוה is our Elohim, and we have not forsaken Him, and priests are serving יהוה, the sons of Aharon and the Lĕwites, in the work,