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.

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 the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

And the Word of the Lord came to Samaias the man of God, saying,

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

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

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.

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

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

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

6 And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

And he built Bethleem, and Aetan and Thecoe,

7 and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

and Baethsura, and Sochoth, and Odollam,

8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

and Geth, and Marisa, and Ziph,

9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

and Adorai, and Lachis, and Azeca,

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

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

11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and of oil and wine;

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

12 and in every several city, targets and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.

shields and spears in every several city, and he fortified them very strongly, and he had on his side Juda and Benjamin.

13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their districts;

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 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;

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 and he ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the he-goats and for the calves that 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 — 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 And she bore him children: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and 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 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.

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 And Rehoboam established Abijah the son of Maachah at the head, to be ruler among his brethren; for [he thought] 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 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.

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.