2 Chronicles 11

1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, to 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 the LORD 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 to 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 the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, 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 He built even Beth-lehem, 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 Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fenced cities.

Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These are the fortified towns in Judah and in Benjamin.

11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and 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 [he put] shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

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 border.

However, the priests and Levites throughout Israel chose to side with Rehoboam.

14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office unto the LORD:

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 appointed him priests for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which 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, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the LORD, 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 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for they walked three years 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 him a wife; Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, [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 bare him sons; Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

She was the mother his sons Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

20 And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare 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 Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and begat twenty and eight sons and threescore 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 appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, [even] the prince among his brethren: for [he was minded] 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, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he sought [for them] many 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.