2 Chronicles 11

1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

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.

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

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

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

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

4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

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.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

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

6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

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

7 And Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

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

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

And Adorayim and Lachish, and 'Azekah,

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

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

11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine.

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

12 And in every several city [he put] shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

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

13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.

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

14 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 unto the LORD:

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,

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

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

16 And 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 unto the LORD, the God of their fathers.

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.

17 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.

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.

18 And 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;

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;

19 and she bare him sons; Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

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

21 And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and begat twenty and eight sons and threescore daughters.)

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.

22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, [even] the prince among his brethren: for [he was minded] to make him king.

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.

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he sought [for them] many wives.

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.