2 Chronicles 11

1And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered the tribes of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 elite soldiers—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to himself.

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

2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying:

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

3'Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin:

4Thus saith Jehovah, 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 Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

4This is what the LORD says: Do not go up and fight against your brothers. Every one of you must go home, because I am the one who made this happen.' So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.

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

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

6He built Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

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

7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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

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

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

11He strengthened these fortresses and put commanders in them, along with supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.

12And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

12He put shields and spears in every city and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.

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

13The priests and Levites from all over Israel took his side and came to him from all their territories.

14For 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 Jehovah;

14The Levites even left their pasturelands and property to come to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.

15and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made.

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

16And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

16People from every tribe of Israel who were determined to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

17So 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.

17This strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because during those years they followed the example of David and Solomon.

18And 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;

18Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.

19and she bare him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

19She gave birth to three sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

20And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

20Later he married Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom, and she gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21And 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).

21Rehoboam loved Maacah more than all his other wives and concubines. In total, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brethren; for he was minded to make him king.

22Rehoboam chose Abijah, Maacah's son, to be the leader among his brothers because he intended to make him the next king.

23And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city: and he gave them victuals in abundance. And he sought for them many wives.

23He acted wisely by scattering some of his sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city. He provided them with plenty of food and found many wives for them.