2 Chronicles 11

1 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.

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 LORD’s word 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 to 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 ‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, 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 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

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

6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

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

7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,

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

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

And Adorayim and Lachish, and 'Azekah,

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

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

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

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

12 He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. 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 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.

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 pasture lands and their possessions, 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.

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 He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols 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 After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to 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 for 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 Rehoboam took a wife for himself, 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 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

20 After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, 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 Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty 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 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended 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 He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance; and he sought many wives for them.

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.