Chronicles II 11

1 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.

And when Rehoboam had entered Jerusalem, he called together the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, —to fight against Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.

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

Then came the word of Yahweh, unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying:

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

Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, —and unto all Israel in Judah and in Benjamin, saying:

4 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.

Thus, saith Yahweh, Ye shall not go up neither shall ye fight against your brethren, return every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the words of Yahweh, and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

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

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, —and built cities for defence, in Judah;

6 And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

yea he built Bethlehem and Etam, and Tekoa;

7 and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

and Beth-zur and Soco, and Adullam;

8 and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

and Gath and Mareshah, and Ziph;

9 and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

and Adoraim and Lachish, and Azekah;

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

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

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

And he strengthened the fortified places, —and put therein captains, and stores of food, and oil and wine;

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

and, in every several city, shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong, —thus Judah and Benjamin remained his.

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

And, the priests and Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries.

14 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.

For the Levites left their pasture lands, and their possessions, and came to Judah, and to Jerusalem, —for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, from ministering as priests unto Yahweh;

15 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.

and appointed for himself priests for the high places, and for the demons—and for the calves which he had made.

16 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.

And, after them—out of all the tribes of Israel, such as were setting their heart to seek Yahweh God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto Yahweh, God of their fathers.

17 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.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and emboldened Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, —for they walked in the way of David and Solomon, for three years.

18 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.

And Rehoboam took him to wife, Mahalath, daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, —and Abihail, daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse;

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

and she bare him sons, —Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.

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

And, after her, he took Maacah, daughter of Absolom, —and she bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 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.

And Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absolom, above all his wives and his concubines, for, eighteen wives, took he, and sixty concubines, —and begat twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.

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

So then Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as head, to be chief ruler among his brethren, —yea that he might make him king.

23 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.

So he took heed, and dispersed all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto all the fortified cities, and gave them food in abundance, —and asked a multitude of wives.