2 Chronicles 11

1 And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men apt for war, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

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.

2 But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

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

3 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

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

4 Thus saith Jehovah: Go not up, nor fight with your brethren; return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. And they hearkened to the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

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.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

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

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

He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

10 and Zorah, and Ajalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

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

11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and of oil and wine;

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

12 and in every several city, targets and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.

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

13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their districts;

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

14 for the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from exercising the priesthood to Jehovah;

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.

15 and he ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the he-goats and for the calves that he had made.

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

16 — And after them, those out of all the tribes of Israel that set their heart to seek Jehovah the God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to Jehovah the God of their fathers.

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.

17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years; for during three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

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.

18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as wife, [and of] Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.

19 And she bore him children: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

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

21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

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.

22 And Rehoboam established Abijah the son of Maachah at the head, to be ruler among his brethren; for [he thought] to make him king.

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

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities; and he gave them food in abundance. And he desired [for them] a multitude of wives.

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.