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 Rehoboam comes to Jerusalem, and assembles the house of Judah and Benjamin—one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors—to fight with Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.

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

And a word of YHWH is to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

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

“Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

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 said YHWH: You do not go up nor fight with your brothers! Let each return to his house, for this thing has been from Me”; and they hear the words of YHWH, and turn back from going against Jeroboam.

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

And Rehoboam dwells in Jerusalem, and builds cities for a bulwark in Judah,

6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

indeed, he builds Beth-Lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

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

and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

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

And he strengthens the bulwarks, and puts leaders in them, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,

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

and in each and every city [he puts] bucklers and spears, and strengthens them very greatly; and he has Judah and Benjamin.

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

And the priests and the Levites that [are] in all Israel have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

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.

for the Levites have left their outskirts and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests for YHWH,

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

and he establishes for himself priests for high places, and for goat [idols] and for calf [idols] that he 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.

And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those giving their heart to seek YHWH, God of Israel, have come to Jerusalem to sacrifice to YHWH, God of their father.

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 strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for 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 Rehoboam takes a wife for himself, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, [and of] Abigail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

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

And she bears sons to him: Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.

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

And after her he has taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she bears to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

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 Rehoboam loves Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines—for he has taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines—and he begets twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

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

And Rehoboam appoints Abijah son of Maachah for head, for leader among his brothers, for to cause him to reign.

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.

And he has understanding, and disperses from all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and gives provision in abundance to them; and he asks for a multitude of wives [for them].