2 Chronicles 11

1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.

2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:

And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

3 “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin

Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:

4 that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,

5 Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.

And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.

6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.

11 He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.

12 He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,

13 Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.

And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,

14 For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.

Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.

15 And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.

And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

16 Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.

18 And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.

And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.

19 She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.

20 After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he beget eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.

But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

23 Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.

Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.