2 Chronicles 11
1 And Rehoboam cometh in to Jerusalem, and assembleth the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with 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 And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a 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 Benjamin, saying,
“Tell Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and of all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin:
4 Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren, turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the words of Jehovah, and turn 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 dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah,
Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he strengthened the defenses of the towns in Judah.
6 yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa,
He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, 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, that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These are the fortified towns in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures 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 city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.
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 [are] in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,
However, the priests and Levites throughout Israel chose to side with Rehoboam.
14 for the Levites have left their suburbs and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests 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 establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he 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, those giving their heart to seek Jehovah, God of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah, God of their father.
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 strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because 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 taketh to him a wife, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, [and] Abigail 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 beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.
She was the mother his sons Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to 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 loveth Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines — for eighteen wives he hath taken, and sixty concubines — and he begetteth twenty and 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 appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign.
Rehoboam made Abijah son of Maacah crown prince among his brothers, planning to make him king.
23 And he hath understanding, and spreadeth out of all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and giveth to them provision in abundance; and he asketh 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.
