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.
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were soldiers, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin
“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah 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.
'Yahweh says this, “You must not attack or make war against your brothers. Everyone must return to his own house, for I have caused this to happen.”'” So they obeyed the words of Yahweh and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities in Judah for defense.
6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam,
8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11 He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
He fortified the fortresses and put commanders in them, with stores of food, 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.
He put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13 Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.
The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel went over to him from within their borders.
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 left their pasturelands and property in order to come to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had driven them away, so that they could no longer perform priestly duties for Yahweh.
15 And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.
Jeroboam appointed for himself priests for the high places and the goat and calf idols 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.
People from all the tribes of Israel came after them, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel; they came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, 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.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam son of Solomon strong during three years, and they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.
18 And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.
Rehoboam took a wife for himself: Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.
19 She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
After Mahalath, Rehoboam took Maacah, Absalom's daughter; she bore him Abijah, Attai, 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.
Rehoboam loved Maacah, Absalom's daughter, more than all his other wives and his concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).
22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.
Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be chief, a leader among his brothers; he had the thought of making 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.
Rehoboam ruled wisely; he scattered all his sons throughout all the land of Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city. He also gave them food in abundance and looked for many wives for them.
