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.

When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

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

But the LORD’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

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

“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and 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.

‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

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

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

6 And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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

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

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

He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, 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.

He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

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

The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.

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 Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to the LORD.

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.

He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols 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.

After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the 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 made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.

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.

Rehoboam took a wife for himself, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

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

She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, 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.

After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, 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.

Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of 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.

Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince amongst his brothers, for he intended to 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.

He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance; and he sought many wives for them.