2 Chronicles 13:4

“And Abijah stood upon Mount Zemaraim, which is in Mount Ephraim, etc.] Which might have its name from a city of Benjamin of this name, to which it was near, though within the borders of Ephraim, (<061822>Joshua 18:22) formerly inhabited by the Zemarites, from whence it might have its name, (<011018>Genesis 10:18) here Abijah stood, that he might be the better heard by the armies pitched in the valley; and very probably he desired a parley, and it was granted, otherwise he would not have been safe in the position in which he was; and said, hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; as many as were now gathered together, and which were a great number.”

“Abijah stood up upon Mount Zemaraim--He had entered the enemy's territory and was encamped on an eminence near Beth-el (Jos 18:22). Jeroboam's army lay at the foot of the hill, and as a pitched battle was expected, Abijah, according to the singular usage of ancient times, harangued the enemy. The speakers in such circumstances, while always extolling their own merits, poured out torrents of invective and virulent abuse upon the adversary. So did Abijah. He dwelt on the divine right of the house of David to the throne; and sinking all reference to the heaven-condemned offenses of Solomon and the divine appointment of Jeroboam, as well as the divine sanction of the separation, he upbraided…”

“13:4 Mount Zemaraim: The town of that name was on the northern border of Benjamin (see Josh 18:22), about five miles northeast of Bethel. Benjamin was a buffer and a battleground between the northern and southern kingdoms.”

“Zemaraim: Zemaraim could not be, as some have supposed, the same as the hill of Samaria, שׁמרון \[Strong's H8111\], so called from Shemer, in the days of Omri; but was probably a hill on the confines of Ephraim, near Zemaraim, a city of Benjamin, near Bethel. Gen 10:18; Jos 18:22 Hear me: Ch2 15:2; Jdg 9:7 2 Chronicles 13:5”