2 Chronicles 11

1 And when Rehoboam was come to Ierusalem, he gathered of the house of Iudah and Beniamin nine score thousande chosen men of warre to fight against Israel, and to bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam.

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 But the worde 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 Speake vnto Rehoboam, the sonne of Salomon King of Iudah, and to all Israel that are in Iudah, and Beniamin, saying,

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

4 Thus sayth the Lord, Ye shall not goe vp, nor fight against your brethren: returne euery man to his house: for this thing is done of me. They obeyed therfore the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Ieroboam.

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 And Rehoboam dwelt in Ierusalem, and buylt strong cities in Iudah.

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

6 Hee buylt also Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

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

7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

And Beth-zur and Soco and Adullam

8 And Gath, and Maresha, and Ziph,

And Gath and Mareshah and Ziph

9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

And Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah

10 And Zorah, and Aialon, and Hebron, which were in Iudah and Beniamin, strong cities.

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

11 And he repaired the strong holdes and put captaines in them, and store of vitaile, and oyle and wine.

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

12 And in all cities he put shieldes and speares, and made them exceeding strong: so Iudah and Beniamin were his.

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

13 And the Priests and the Leuites that were in all Israel, resorted vnto him out of all their coastes.

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

14 For the Leuites left their suburbes and their possession, and came to Iudah and to Ierusalem: for Ieroboam and his sonnes had cast them out from ministring in the Priestes office vnto 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 ordeyned him Priests for the hie places, and for the deuils and for the calues which 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 And after the Leuites there came to Ierusalem of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heartes to seeke the Lord God of Israel, to offer vnto the Lord 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 So they strengthened the kingdome of Iudah, and made Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon mightie, three yeere long: for three yeere they walked in in the way of Dauid and Salomon.

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 And Rehoboam tooke him Mahalath ye daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Ishai,

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 Which bare him sonnes Ieush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he tooke Maakah ye daughter of Absalom which bare him Abiiah, and Atthai, 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 And Rehoboam loued Maakah ye daughter of Absalom aboue all his wiues and his concubines: for he tooke eighteene wiues, and three score concubines, and begate eyght and twentie sonnes, and three score 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 And Rehoboam made Abiiah the sonne of Maakah the chiefe ruler among his brethren: 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 And he taught him: and dispersed all his sonnes throughout all the countreis of Iudah and Beniamin vnto euery strong citie: and hee gaue them aboundance of vitaile, and desired many wiues.

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.