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 Roboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled Juda and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand young men fit for war, and he waged war with Israel to recover the kingdom to Roboam.

2 But Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

And the Word of the Lord came to Samaias 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,

Speak to Roboam the [son] of Solomon, and to all Juda and Benjamin, saying,

4 ‘Yahweh 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 Yahweh’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, and ye shall not war against your brethren: return every one to his home; for this thing is of me. And they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and he built walled cities in Judea.

6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,

and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

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

and Saraa, and Aelom, and Chebron, which belong to Juda and Benjamin, walled cities.

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

And he fortified them with walls, and placed in them captains, and stores of provisions, oil and wine,

12 He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

shields and spears in every several city, and he fortified them very strongly, and he had on his side Juda 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 who were in all Israel were gathered to him out of all the coasts.

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 Yahweh.

For the Levites left the tents of their possession, and went to Juda to Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had ejected them so that they should not minister to the Lord.

15 He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols which he had made.

And he made for himself priests of the high places, and for the idols, and for the vanities, and for the calves which Jeroboam made.

16 After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

And he cast out from the tribes of Israel those who set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel: and they came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord 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 Juda; and [Juda] strengthened Roboam the [son] of Solomon for three years, for he walked three years in the ways of David and Solomon.

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 Roboam took to himself for a wife, Moolath daughter of Jerimuth the son of David, and Abigaia daughter of Heliab the son of Jessae.

19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

And she bore him sons; Jeus, and Samoria, and Zaam.

20 After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

And afterwards he took to himself Maacha the daughter of Abessalom; and she bore him Abia, and Jetthi, and Zeza, and Salemoth.

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 Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Abessalom more than all his wives and all his concubines: for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; and he begot twenty-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 he made Abia the son of Maacha chief, [even] a leader among his brethren, for he intended 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 was exalted beyond all his [other] sons in all the coasts of Juda and Benjamin, and in the strong cities; and he gave them provisions in great abundance: and he desired many wives.