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.

When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered the men from the households of Judah and Benjamin— 180,000 chosen warriors—to go and fight against Israel to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.

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

But a message from the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God that said,

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

“Tell Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and of all the Israelites living in Judah and 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.

‘This is what the Lord says. Don't fight against your relatives. Every one of you, go home! For what has happened is down to me.’” So they obeyed what the Lord told them and did not fight against Jeroboam.

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

Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he strengthened the defenses of the towns in Judah.

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

He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

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

Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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

Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These are the fortified towns in Judah and in Benjamin.

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

He strengthened their fortresses and put commanders in charge of them, together with supplies of food, olive 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.

He stored shields and spears in all the towns and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin under his rule.

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

However, the priests and Levites throughout Israel chose to side with Rehoboam.

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,

The Levites even left their pasturelands and properties behind, and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to allow them to serve as priests of the Lord.

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

Jeroboam chose his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols 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.

Those from every tribe of Israel who were committed to worshiping their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their forefathers.

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.

So they supported the kingdom of Judah and for three years they were loyal to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, because they followed the way of David and Solomon.

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

Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

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

She was the mother his sons Jeush, and Shamariah, 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.

After her he married Maacah Absalom's daughter, and she was the mother of his sons Abijah, Attai, 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.

Rehoboam loved Maacah Absalom's daughter more than all his other wives and concubines. He had a total of eighteen wives and sixty concubines, 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.

Rehoboam made Abijah son of Maacah crown prince among his brothers, planning 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].

Rehoboam was also wise to place some of his sons throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified towns. He gave them plenty of supplies and sought many wives for them. He worked to arrange many wives for them.