Mount Zemaraim

Biblical Text

Mount Zemaraim appears in 2 Chronicles 13. Abijah, the son of Rehoboam, became king of Judah and went to war against Jeroboam, king of the northern kingdom of Israel. At that time Abijah "stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim," and addressed Jeroboam and all Israel (2 Chronicles 13:4).

Abijah's speech may be summarized as follows:

• God gave the kingdom over Israel to David and his sons forever "by a covenant of salt" (2 Chronicles 13:5). A "covenant of salt" denotes an unchangeable covenant; the same expression also appears in Numbers 18:19.
• Jeroboam rebelled against his lord, made golden calves his gods, cast out the priests, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and appointed priests of his own choosing.
• Judah, by contrast, maintains the worship prescribed by the Law, offering burnt offerings morning and evening, setting out the showbread, and lighting the lampstand.
• Therefore, since "God himself is with us for our captain," Israel should not fight against the LORD (2 Chronicles 13:12).

While the speech was under way, Jeroboam sent an ambush around to attack the army of Judah from behind. According to the text, when the men of Judah cried out to the LORD and the priests sounded the trumpets, God struck Israel. Abijah then captured Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephrain, together with their surrounding towns (2 Chronicles 13:13–19).

Background and Location

Joshua 18:22, in listing the towns allotted to the tribe of Benjamin, includes "Zemaraim" alongside Beth-arabah and Bethel. Mount Zemaraim is therefore thought to have been a height near this town, in the hill country of Benjaminite territory where Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel met. Scholars generally agree that it lay near Bethel, but several candidates have been proposed for its exact location, and none has been confirmed.

The battle took place after the division of the kingdom, when the southern and northern kingdoms were contending over their common border. Some interpreters suggest that, because the speech was delivered from a mountain in the border region, the site would have been visible to both armies.

Significance in Scripture

The speech on Mount Zemaraim illustrates two themes emphasized in Chronicles. One is the legitimacy of the Davidic dynasty, that is, the Davidic covenant; the other is worship offered according to the Law at the temple in Jerusalem. Chronicles portrays Israel's victories and defeats as depending not on the size of its armies but on whether it relies on God. Accordingly, it presents the defeat of the northern kingdom, despite its army being twice as large, as an example of this theme.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• Differences from Kings: 1 Kings 15 calls this king "Abijam." Kings evaluates him negatively, stating that he walked in the sins of his father (1 Kings 15:3), and notes only briefly that there was war with Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:7). The speech on Mount Zemaraim appears only in 2 Chronicles. Some interpreters read the two accounts as differing perspectives that complement each other, while others see Chronicles as having selected and emphasized its material in keeping with its theological purposes.
• Army figures: Interpretations also differ regarding the figures of 400,000 men for Judah, 800,000 for Israel, and 500,000 Israelites slain. Some take the numbers literally, while others understand the Hebrew word translated "thousand" as a military unit or regard the figures as hyperbole.
• The claims of the speech are recorded as Abijah's own words. Some commentators point out that they should be distinguished from the text's overall evaluation of Abijah's personal faith.