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 had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
But the LORD’s word 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
“Speak to Rehoboam the 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.
‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
Beth Zur, Soco, 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, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
He fortified the strongholds and put captains 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 every city, and made them exceedingly strong. 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 stood with him out of all their territory.
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 pasture lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s 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.
He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols 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.
After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to 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.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked 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 the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
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 her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and 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 the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for 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 the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince amongst his brothers, for he intended 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.
He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance; and he sought many wives for them.
