2 Chronicles 11
1 Forsothe Roboam cam in to Jerusalem, and clepide togidere al the hows of Juda and of Beniamyn, `til to nyne scoore thousynde of chosen men and werriouris, for to fiyte ayens Israel, and for to turne his rewme to hym.
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 And the word of the Lord was maad to Semeye, the man of God,
But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
3 and seide, Speke thou to Roboam, the sone of Salomon, kyng of Juda, and to al Israel, which is in Juda and Beniamyn; The Lord seith these thingis,
“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin
4 Ye schulen not stie, nethir ye schulen fiyte ayens youre britheren; ech man turne ayen in to his hows, for this thing is doon bi my wille. And whanne thei hadden herd the word of the Lord, thei turneden ayen, and yeden not ayens kyng Jeroboam.
that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
5 Forsothe Roboam dwellide in Jerusalem, and he bildide wallid citees in Juda;
Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.
6 and bildide Bethleem, and Ethan, and Thecue, and Bethsur;
He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 and Sochot, and Odollam;
Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
8 also and Jeth, and Maresa, and Ziph;
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 but also Huram, and Lachis, and Azecha;
Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 and Saraa, and Hailon, and Ebron, that weren in Juda and Beniamyn, ful strong citees.
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11 And whanne he hadde closid tho with wallis, he settide `in tho citees princes, and bernes of metis, that is, of oile, and of wyn.
He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
12 But also in ech citee he made placis of armuris of scheeldis, and speris, and he made tho strong with most diligence; and he regnyde on Juda and Beniamyn.
He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13 Sotheli the preestis and dekenes, that weren in al Israel, camen to hym fro alle her seetis,
Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.
14 and forsoken her subarbis and possessiouns, and thei passiden to Juda and to Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and hise aftir comeris hadden cast hem a wey, that thei schulden not be set in preesthod of the Lord;
For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.
15 which Jeroboam made to hym preestis of hiye places, and of feendis, and of caluys, which he hadde maad.
And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.
16 But also of alle the linagis of Israel, whiche euer yauen her herte to seke the Lord God of Israel, thei camen to Jerusalem for to offre her sacrifices bifor the Lord God of her fadris.
Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
17 And thei strengthiden the rewme of Juda, and strengthiden Roboam, the sone of Salomon, bi thre yeer; for thei yeden in the weies of Dauid, and of Salomon, oneli bi thre yeer.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.
18 Forsothe Roboam weddide a wijf Malaoth, the douytir of Jerymuth, sone of Dauid, and Abiail, the douytir of Heliab, sone of Ysaye;
And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.
19 and sche childide to hym sones, Yeus, and Somorie, and Zerei.
She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Also after this wijf he took Maacha, the douyter of Abissalon, and sche childide to hym Abia, and Thai, and Ziza, and Salomyth.
After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 Forsothe Roboam louyde Maacha, the douytir of Abissalon, aboue alle hise wyues and secundarie wyues. Forsothe he hadde weddid eiytene wyues, sotheli sixti secundarie wyues; and he gendride eiyte and twenti sones, and sixti douytris.
Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 Sotheli he ordeynede Abia, the sone of Maacha, in the heed, duyk ouer alle hise britheren; for he thouyte to make Abia kyng,
Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.
23 for he was wisere and myytiere ouer alle hise sones, and in alle the coostis of Juda and of Beniamyn, and in alle wallid citees; and he yaf to hem ful many metis, and he had many wyues.
Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.
