2 Chronicles 11

1 And Rehoboam cometh in to Jerusalem, and assembleth the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.

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 a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:

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

“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin

4 Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren, turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the words of Jehovah, and turn back from going against 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 And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah,

Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.

6 yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa,

He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

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

Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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

Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

11 And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,

He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

12 and in every city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.

He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

13 And the priests, and the Levites, that [are] in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.

14 for the Levites have left their suburbs and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests to Jehovah,

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 and he establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he made —

And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.

16 and after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those giving their heart to seek Jehovah, God of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah, God of their father.

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 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 supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

18 And Rehoboam taketh to him a wife, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, [and] Abigail daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

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 she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 And Rehoboam loveth Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines — for eighteen wives he hath taken, and sixty concubines — and he begetteth twenty and eight sons, and sixty daughters.

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 And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign.

Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.

23 And he hath understanding, and spreadeth out of all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and giveth to them provision in abundance; and he asketh a multitude of wives.

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.