2 Chronicles 11

1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered the men from the households of Judah and Benjamin— 180,000 chosen warriors—to go and fight against Israel to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.

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.

2 But a message from the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God that said,

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

3 “Tell Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and of all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin:

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

4 ‘This is what the Lord says. Don't fight against your relatives. Every one of you, go home! For what has happened is down to me.’” So they obeyed what the Lord told them and did not fight against Jeroboam.

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.

5 Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he strengthened the defenses of the towns in Judah.

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

6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These are the fortified towns in Judah and in Benjamin.

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

11 He strengthened their fortresses and put commanders in charge of them, together with supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.

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

12 He stored shields and spears in all the towns and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin under his rule.

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

13 However, the priests and Levites throughout Israel chose to side with Rehoboam.

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

14 The Levites even left their pasturelands and properties behind, and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to allow them to serve as priests of the Lord.

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.

15 Jeroboam chose his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.

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.

16 Those from every tribe of Israel who were committed to worshiping their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their forefathers.

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.

17 So they supported the kingdom of Judah and for three years they were loyal to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, because they followed the way of David and Solomon.

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.

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

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.

19 She was the mother his sons Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

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

20 After her he married Maacah Absalom's daughter, and she was the mother of his sons Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

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

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah Absalom's daughter more than all his other wives and concubines. He had a total of eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

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.

22 Rehoboam made Abijah son of Maacah crown prince among his brothers, planning to make him king.

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

23 Rehoboam was also wise to place some of his sons throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified towns. He gave them plenty of supplies and sought many wives for them. He worked to arrange many wives for them.

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.