2 Chronicles 11

1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to 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 the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying:

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

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

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

4 Thus saith the LORD: Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren; return every man to his house, for this thing is of Me.' So they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, and returned from going 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 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

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

6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

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

and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

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

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

11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine.

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

12 And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin adhered to him.

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

13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel presented themselves to him out of all their border.

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

14 For the Levites left their open land and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office unto 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 and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the satyrs, and for the calves which 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 And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the LORD, the God of their fathers.

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 strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in 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 And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the 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 and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and 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 And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines — for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and begot twenty and eight sons and threescore 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 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brethren; for he was minded 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 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city; and he gave them victual in abundance. And he sought for them many wives.

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.