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 assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were soldiers, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,
But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 'Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel 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.
'Yahweh says this, “You must not attack or make war against your brothers. Everyone must return to his own house, for I have caused this to happen.”'” So they obeyed the words of Yahweh and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah,
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities in Judah for defense.
6 yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa,
He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,
Beth Zur, Soko, 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. These are 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 fortified the fortresses and put commanders in them, with stores 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 put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. 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,
The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel went over to him from within their borders.
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 property in order to come to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had driven them away, so that they could no longer perform priestly duties for Yahweh.
15 and he establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he made —
Jeroboam appointed for himself priests for the high places and the goat 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.
People from all the tribes of Israel came after them, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel; they came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, 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 made Rehoboam son of Solomon strong during three years, and 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.
Rehoboam took a wife for himself: Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.
19 And she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.
She bore him sons: 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 Mahalath, Rehoboam took Maacah, Absalom's daughter; she bore 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, Absalom's daughter, more than all his other wives and his concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became 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 to be chief, a leader among his brothers; he had the thought of making 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 ruled wisely; he scattered all his sons throughout all the land of Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city. He also gave them food in abundance and looked for many wives for them.
