Changes

The '''Battle of Zemaraim''' (957 BC by [[James Ussher|Ussher]],<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pgh. 488</ref> 912 BC by [[Edwin R. Thiele|Thiele]]<ref name=Wood>Leon J. Wood, ''A Survey of Israel's History'', rev. ed. David O'Brien, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1986 (ISBN 031034770X), p. 289</ref>) was the bloodiest battle in all the intermittent wars between the [[Northern Kingdom|Northern]] and [[Southern Kingdom|Southern]] Kingdoms of [[Israel]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=13|verses=1-20}}</ref> Here King [[Abijam]] of the Southern Kingdom engaged a force twice the size of his own and fairly routed it, inflicting an incredible sixty-two-and-a-half-percent kill.

The '''Battle of Zemaraim''' (957 BC by [[James Ussher|Ussher]],<ref name=Ussher>[[James Ussher]], ''[[The Annals of the World]]'', [[Larry Pierce]], ed., Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2003 (ISBN 0890513600), pgh. 488</ref> 912 BC by [[Edwin R. Thiele|Thiele]]<ref name=Wood>Leon J. Wood, ''A Survey of Israel's History'', rev. ed. David O'Brien, Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1986 (ISBN 031034770X), p. 289</ref>) was the bloodiest battle in all the intermittent wars between the [[Northern Kingdom|Northern]] and [[Southern Kingdom|Southern]] Kingdoms of [[Israel]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Chronicles|chap=13|verses=1-20}}</ref> Here King [[Abijam]] of the Southern Kingdom engaged a force twice the size of his own and routed it, killing over 60% of the enemy forces.

== Disposition of Forces ==

== Disposition of Forces ==

This battle was greater by several orders of magnitude than the border skirmishes that had marred Northern-Southern relations ever since the Great Revolt. Who initiated this fresh outbreak of open warfare, and for what cause, the [[Bible]] does not explain, nor does any secular source treat this battle in any way. That Abijam had acceded to his throne a year before, upon the death of his father [[Rehoboam]], suggests that Jeroboam thought that he could strike a killing blow against Judah once and for all. This, however, is speculation.

This battle was greater by several orders of magnitude than the border skirmishes that had marred Northern-Southern relations ever since the Great Revolt. Who initiated this fresh outbreak of open warfare, and for what cause, the [[Bible]] does not explain, nor does any secular source treat this battle in any way. That Abijam had acceded to his throne a year before, upon the death of his father [[Rehoboam]], suggests that Jeroboam thought that he could strike a killing blow against Judah once and for all. This, however, is speculation.

Abijam came to the field with four hundred thousand "chosen men." Jeroboam I met him with eight hundred thousand men.<ref>Some authorities suggest that these improbably [[Large Numbers in the Old Testament|large numbers]] might result from misunderstanding of the original text by later copyists.</ref>

Abijam came to the field with 430,000 "chosen men." Jeroboam I met him with 800,000 men.<ref>Some authorities suggest that these improbably [[Large Numbers in the Old Testament|large numbers]] might result from misunderstanding of the original text by later copyists.</ref>

== Abijam's Speech ==

== Abijam's Speech ==