2 Chronicles 11

1 And Rehoboam comes to Jerusalem, and assembles the house of Judah and Benjamin—one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors—to fight with Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.

Then Rehoboam went to Jerusalem, and he called together the entire house of Judah and of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand elect men of war, so that he might contend against Israel, and turn back his kingdom to himself.

2 And a word of YHWH is to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:

3 “Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

“Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and to all of Israel who are of Judah, or of Benjamin:

4 Thus said YHWH: You do not go up nor fight with your brothers! Let each return to his house, for this thing has been from Me”; and they hear the words of YHWH, and turn back from going against Jeroboam.

Thus says the Lord: You shall not ascend and fight against your brothers. Let each one return to his own house. For it is by my will that this has happened.” And when they had heard the word of the Lord, they turned back, and they did not continue on against Jeroboam.

5 And Rehoboam dwells in Jerusalem, and builds cities for a bulwark in Judah,

Then Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built fortified cities in Judah.

6 indeed, he builds Beth-Lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

And he built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,

and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

11 And he strengthens the bulwarks, and puts leaders in them, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,

And when he had enclosed them with walls, he placed in them rulers, and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and wine.

12 and in each and every city [he puts] bucklers and spears, and strengthens them very greatly; and he has Judah and Benjamin.

Moreover, in each city he made an armory of shields and spears, and he strengthened them with the utmost diligence. And he ruled over Judah and Benjamin.

13 And the priests and the Levites that [are] in all Israel have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

Then the priests and Levites, who were in all of Israel, came to him from all their settlements,

14 for the Levites have left their outskirts and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests for YHWH,

leaving behind their suburbs and possessions, and crossing over to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his followers had cast them out, so that they could not exercise the priestly office to the Lord.

15 and he establishes for himself priests for high places, and for goat [idols] and for calf [idols] that he made.

And he appointed for himself priests of high places, and of demons, and of calves that he had made.

16 And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those giving their heart to seek YHWH, God of Israel, have come to Jerusalem to sacrifice to YHWH, God of their father.

Moreover, out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever would give their heart so that they sought the Lord God of Israel, they went to Jerusalem to immolate their victims before the Lord, the God of their fathers.

17 And they strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and they confirmed Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, for three years. For they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, but only for three years.

18 And Rehoboam takes a wife for himself, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, [and of] Abigail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and also Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

19 And she bears sons to him: Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.

They bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 And after her he has taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she bears to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

And also after her, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 And Rehoboam loves Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines—for he has taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines—and he begets twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

But Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines. And he conceived twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 And Rehoboam appoints Abijah son of Maachah for head, for leader among his brothers, for to cause him to reign.

Truly, he appointed as the head, Abijah, the son of Maacah, to be the ruler over all his brothers. For he thought to make him king,

23 And he has understanding, and disperses from all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and gives provision in abundance to them; and he asks for a multitude of wives [for them].

since he was wiser and more powerful than all his sons, even in all the regions of Judah and Benjamin, and in all the fortified cities. And he provided them with very much food, and he sought many wives.