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.
And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.
2 But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:
3 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda 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.
Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.
6 And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,
7 and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,
And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,
8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,
9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,
10 and Zorah, and Ajalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.
Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.
11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and of oil and wine;
And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.
12 and in every several city, targets and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.
Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,
13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their districts;
And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,
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;
Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to 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 he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which 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.
Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before 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.
And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.
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 Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.
19 And she bore him children: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.
20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.
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.
And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he beget eight and twenty sons, and threescore 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.
But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant 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.
Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.
