2 Chronicles 11

1And 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.

1And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.

2And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

2And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

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

3Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:

4Thus 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.

4Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,

5And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah,

5And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.

6yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa,

6And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,

7and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,

7And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,

8and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

8And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,

9and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

9And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,

10and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that <FI>are<Fi> in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

10Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.

11And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,

11And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.

12and in every city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.

12Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,

13And the priests, and the Levites, that <FI>are<Fi> in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

13And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,

14for 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,

14Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.

15and he establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he made--

15And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

16and 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.

16Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.

17And 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.

17And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.

18And Rehoboam taketh to him a wife, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, <FI>and<Fi> Abigail daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

18And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.

19And she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.

19And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.

20And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

20And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.

21And 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.

21And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he begot eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.

22And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign.

22But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

23And 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.

23Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.