2 Chronicles 11

1 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.

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.

2 But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

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

4 '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.

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.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities in Judah for defense.

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

6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam,

And Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fenced cities.

11 He fortified the fortresses and put commanders in them, with stores of food, oil, and wine.

And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine.

12 He put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

And in every several city [he put] shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

13 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel went over to him from within their borders.

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.

14 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.

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:

15 Jeroboam appointed for himself priests for the high places and the goat and calf idols he had made.

and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made.

16 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.

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.

17 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.

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.

18 Rehoboam took a wife for himself: Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.

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;

19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

and she bare him sons; Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 After Mahalath, Rehoboam took Maacah, Absalom's daughter; she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 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).

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.)

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be chief, a leader among his brothers; he had the thought of making him king.

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.

23 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.

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.