2 Chronicles 11
1 And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men apt for war, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered the men from the households of Judah and Benjamin— 180,000 chosen warriors—to go and fight against Israel to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
But a message from the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God that said,
3 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
“Tell Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and of all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin:
4 Thus saith Jehovah: Go not up, nor fight with your brethren; return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. And they hearkened to the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
‘This is what the Lord says. Don't fight against your relatives. Every one of you, go home! For what has happened is down to me.’” So they obeyed what the Lord told them and did not fight against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he strengthened the defenses of the towns in Judah.
6 And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 and Beth-zur, and Soco, 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 Ajalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These are the fortified towns in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and of oil and wine;
He strengthened their fortresses and put commanders in charge of them, together with supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.
12 and in every several city, targets and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.
He stored shields and spears in all the towns and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin under his rule.
13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their districts;
However, the priests and Levites throughout Israel chose to side with Rehoboam.
14 for the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from exercising the priesthood to Jehovah;
The Levites even left their pasturelands and properties behind, and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to allow them to serve as priests of the Lord.
15 and he ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the he-goats and for the calves that he had made.
Jeroboam chose his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.
16 — And after them, those out of all the tribes of Israel that set their heart to seek Jehovah the God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to Jehovah the God of their fathers.
Those from every tribe of Israel who were committed to worshiping their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their forefathers.
17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years; for during three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.
So they supported the kingdom of Judah and for three years they were loyal to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, because they followed the way of David and Solomon.
18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as wife, [and of] Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.
19 And she bore him children: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
She was the mother his sons Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
After her he married Maacah Absalom's daughter, and she was the mother of his sons Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
Rehoboam loved Maacah Absalom's daughter more than all his other wives and concubines. He had a total of eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 And Rehoboam established Abijah the son of Maachah at the head, to be ruler among his brethren; for [he thought] to make him king.
Rehoboam made Abijah son of Maacah crown prince among his brothers, planning to make him king.
23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities; and he gave them food in abundance. And he desired [for them] a multitude of wives.
Rehoboam was also wise to place some of his sons throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified towns. He gave them plenty of supplies and sought many wives for them. He worked to arrange many wives for them.
