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.

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

Then came the word of Yahweh, unto 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 unto Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, —and unto all Israel in Judah and in Benjamin, saying:

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

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

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

yea he built Bethlehem and Etam, and Tekoa;

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

and Beth-zur and Soco, and Adullam;

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

and Gath and Mareshah, and Ziph;

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

and Adoraim and Lachish, and Azekah;

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

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

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

And he strengthened the fortified places, —and put therein captains, and stores of food, and 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.

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 that [are] in all Israel have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

and she bare him 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.

And, after her, he took Maacah, daughter of Absolom, —and she bare 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.

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

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 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].

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.