2 Chronicles 11
1 And when Rehoboam had entered Jerusalem, he called together the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, —to fight against Israel, to bring back the kingdom 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 Then came the word of Yahweh, unto 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 son of Solomon, king of Judah, —and unto all Israel in Judah and in Benjamin, saying:
“Tell Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and of all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin:
4 Thus, saith Yahweh, Ye shall not go up neither shall ye fight against your brethren, return every man to his own house, for, from me, hath this thing been brought about. So they hearkened unto the words of Yahweh, and turned back 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 yea 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 Aijalon and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, —as fortified cities.
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These are the fortified towns in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 And he strengthened the fortified places, —and put therein captains, and stores of food, 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, shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong, —thus Judah and Benjamin remained 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 Levites that were in all Israel, took their stand with him, out of all their boundaries.
However, the priests and Levites throughout Israel chose to side with Rehoboam.
14 For the Levites left their pasture lands, and their possessions, and came to Judah, and to Jerusalem, —for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, from ministering as priests unto Yahweh;
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 appointed for himself priests for the high places, and for the demons—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 were setting their heart to seek Yahweh God of Israel, came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto Yahweh, 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 emboldened Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, —for they walked in the way of David and Solomon, for three years.
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 to wife, Mahalath, daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, —and Abihail, daughter of Eliab, 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 Shamariah and Zaham.
She was the mother his sons Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 And, after her, he took Maacah, daughter of Absolom, —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 daughter of Absolom, above all his wives and his concubines, for, eighteen wives, took he, and sixty concubines, —and begat 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 So then Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as head, to be chief ruler among his brethren, —yea that he might make him king.
Rehoboam made Abijah son of Maacah crown prince among his brothers, planning to make him king.
23 So he took heed, and dispersed all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto all the fortified cities, and gave them food in abundance, —and asked 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.
