What were the later troop counts for the northern and southern kingdoms?
According to the account, the later troop counts showed the northern kingdom of ten tribes could field only 580,000 men, while the southern kingdom of Judah and Benjamin came with 1,160,000 troops. This reversal resulted from a mass migration of Israelites from the northern kingdom down into the southern kingdom over the intervening years.
Les teaches that initially Abijah of the southern kingdom could raise 400,000 chosen men, while Jeroboam of the northern kingdom had 800,000. But as history progressed, the northern kingdom could only put 580,000 troops in the field, whereas the southern kingdom came with 1,160,000. Les attributes this reversal to a mass migration of Israelites out of the northern kingdom into the southern kingdom over the intervening years.
And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.