2 Chronicles 11

1 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.

And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and got together the men of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand of his best fighting-men, to make war against Israel and get the kingdom back for Rehoboam.

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

But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,

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

Say to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

4 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.

The Lord has said, You are not to go to war against your brothers: let every man go back to his house, for this thing is my purpose. So they gave ear to the words of the Lord and were turned back from fighting against Jeroboam.

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

Now Rehoboam kept in Jerusalem, building walled towns in Judah.

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

He was the builder of Beth-lehem and Etam and Tekoa

7 and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam,

And Beth-zur and Soco and Adullam

8 indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

And Gath and Mareshah and Ziph

9 then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah,

And Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah

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

And Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron, walled towns in Judah and Benjamin.

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

And he made the walled towns strong, and he put captains in them and stores of food, oil, and wine.

12 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.

And in every town he put stores of body-covers and spears, and made them very strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.

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

And the priests and Levites who were in all Israel came together to him from every part of their country.

14 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.

For the Levites gave up their living-places and their property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons had sent them away, not letting them be priests to the Lord;

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

And he himself made priests for the high places, and for the images of he-goats and oxen which he had made.

16 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.

And after them, from all the tribes of Israel, all those whose hearts were fixed and true to the Lord, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to make offerings to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

17 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.

So they went on increasing the power of the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, strong for three years; and for three years they went in the ways of David and Solomon.

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

And Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse;

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

And she had sons by him, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

And after her he took Maacah, the daughter of Absalom; and she had Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith by him.

21 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.

Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, was dearer to Rehoboam than all his wives and his servant-wives: (for he had eighteen wives and sixty servant-wives, and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

22 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,

Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maacah, chief and ruler among his brothers, for it was his purpose to make him king.

23 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.

And in his wisdom he had his sons stationed in every walled town through all the lands of Judah and Benjamin; and he gave them a great store of food, and took wives for them.