2 Chronicles 11

1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen [men], which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again 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 done of me. And they obeyed 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 Shoco, 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 fenced cities.

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

11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of 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 several city [he put] shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

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 resorted to him out of all their coasts.

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 suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing 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 ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, 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 God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD 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 three years they walked 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 Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, [and] 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 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare 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 Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat 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 made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, [to be] ruler among his brethren: for [he thought] to make him king.

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

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired 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.