2 Chronicles 11

1 And when Rehobo'am was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring back the kingdom again to Rehobo'am.

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

2 But the word of the Lord came unto Shema'yahu the man of God, saying,

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

3 Say unto Rehobo'am the son of Solomon, the king of Judah and Benjamin, saying,

"Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

4 Thus hath said the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight with your brethren: return every man to his house; for from me hath this thing been brought about. And they hearkened to the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jerobo'am.

'Thus says the LORD, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers. Return every man to his house; for this thing is of me."'" So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 And Rehobo'am dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities as fortresses in Judah.

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

6 He built, namely, Beth-lechem, and 'Etam, and Thekoa'.

He built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 And Beth-zur, and Socho, and 'Adullam,

Beth Zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 And Adorayim and Lachish, and 'Azekah,

and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 And Zor'ah, and Ayalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

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

11 And he strengthened the strong-holds, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine;

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

12 And in each and every city [he placed] shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong: and thus remained with him Judah and Benjamin.

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

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

The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.

14 For the Levites left their open districts and their possession, and went to Judah and Jerusalem; because Jerobo'am and his sons cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord,

For the Levites left their suburbs 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 to the LORD;

15 And [because] he ordained for himself priests for the high-places, and for the evil spirits, and for the calves which he had made.

and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.

16 And after them [came] out of all the tribes of Israel such as directed their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel: these came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord, the God of their fathers.

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 to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and brought power to Rehobo'am, the son of Solomon, during three years; for they walked in the way of David and Solomon during three years.

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.

18 And Rehobo'am took himself as wife Machalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, [and] Abichayil the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

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;

19 And she bore to him sons: Je'ush, and Shamaryah, and Zaham.

and she bore him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 And after her did he take Ma'achah the daughter of Abshalom; and she bore to him Abiyah, and 'Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

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

21 And Rehobo'am loved Ma'achah the daughter of Abshalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines; and he begat twenty and eight sons, and sixty daughters.

Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his secondary wives: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty secondary wives, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

22 And Rehobo'am appointed Abiyah the son of Ma'achah to be the chief, to be ruler among his brethren; because [he desired] to make him king.

Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king.

23 And he dealt understandingly, and dispersed all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto all the fortified cities; and he gave them food in abundance and he required [for them] a multitude of wives.

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