Chronicles II 11

1 And Roboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled Juda and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand young men fit for war, and he waged war with Israel to recover the kingdom to Roboam.

Then Rehoboam went to Jerusalem, and he called together the entire house of Judah and of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand elect men of war, so that he might contend against Israel, and turn back his kingdom to himself.

2 And the Word of the Lord came to Samaias the man of God, saying,

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

3 Speak to Roboam the [son] of Solomon, and to all Juda and Benjamin, saying,

“Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and to all of Israel who are of Judah, or of Benjamin:

4 Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up, and you shall not war against your brethren: return every one to his home; for this thing is of me. And they listened to the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

Thus says the Lord: You shall not ascend and fight against your brothers. Let each one return to his own house. For it is by my will that this has happened.” And when they had heard the word of the Lord, they turned back, and they did not continue on against Jeroboam.

5 And Roboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built walled cities in Judea.

Then Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built fortified cities in Judah.

6 And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

And he built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8 and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 and Saraa, and Aelom, and Chebron, which belong to Juda and Benjamin, walled cities.

as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

11 And he fortified them with walls, and placed in them captains, and stores of provisions, oil and wine,

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

12 shields and spears in every several city, and he fortified them very strongly, and he had on his side Juda and Benjamin.

Moreover, in each city he made an armory of shields and spears, and he strengthened them with the utmost diligence. And he ruled over Judah and Benjamin.

13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel were gathered to him out of all the coasts.

Then the priests and Levites, who were in all of Israel, came to him from all their settlements,

14 For the Levites left the tents of their possession, and went to Juda to Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had ejected them so that they should not minister to the Lord.

leaving behind their suburbs and possessions, and crossing over to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his followers had cast them out, so that they could not exercise the priestly office to the Lord.

15 And he made for himself priests of the high places, and for the idols, and for the vanities, and for the calves which Jeroboam made.

And he appointed for himself priests of high places, and of demons, and of calves that he had made.

16 And he cast out from the tribes of Israel those who set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel: and they came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

Moreover, out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever would give their heart so that they sought the Lord God of Israel, they went to Jerusalem to immolate their victims before the Lord, the God of their fathers.

17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda; and [Juda] strengthened Roboam the [son] of Solomon for three years, for he walked three years in the ways of David and Solomon.

And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and they confirmed Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, for three years. For they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, but only for three years.

18 And Roboam took to himself for a wife, Moolath daughter of Jerimuth the son of David, and Abigaia daughter of Heliab the son of Jessae.

Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and also Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

19 And she bore him sons; Jeus, and Samoria, and Zaam.

They bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 And afterwards he took to himself Maacha the daughter of Abessalom; and she bore him Abia, and Jetthi, and Zeza, and Salemoth.

And also after her, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Abessalom more than all his wives and all his concubines: for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; and he begot twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.

But Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines. And he conceived twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 And he made Abia the son of Maacha chief, [even] a leader amongst his brethren, for he intended to make him king.

Truly, he appointed as the head, Abijah, the son of Maacah, to be the ruler over all his brothers. For he thought to make him king,

23 And he was exalted beyond all his [other] sons in all the coasts of Juda and Benjamin, and in the strong cities; and he gave them provisions in great abundance: and he desired many wives.

since he was wiser and more powerful than all his sons, even in all the regions of Judah and Benjamin, and in all the fortified cities. And he provided them with very much food, and he sought many wives.