2 Chronicles 11

1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

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

3 “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin

4 that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

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

6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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

11 He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

12 He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

13 Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.

14 For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.

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

16 Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

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

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

20 After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.

23 Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.

1 ¶ And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen [men], which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

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

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

4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

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

6 He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which [are] in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

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

12 And in every several city [he put] shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

13 ¶ And the priests and the Levites that [were] in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

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

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

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, [and] Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

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

21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah 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 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, [to be] ruler among his brethren: for [he thought] to make him king.

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered together the house of Judah and Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand young men that were valiant, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 And the word of the LORD came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying:

3 Tell Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and all Israel that is under Judah and Benjamin, saying:

4 Thus saith the LORD; Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this is done of me. And they hearkened unto the words of the LORD, and desisted from going up against Jeroboam.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt at Jerusalem, and strengthened the cities of Judah,

6 Namely: Bethlehem, Etam, Thekoa,

7 Beth-Zur, Socho, Adullam,

8 gath, maresa, siph,

9 Adoraim, Lachis, Aseka,

10 Zareah, and Ajalon, and Hebron, which were the strongest cities in Judah and Benjamin.

11 And he made them strong, and set princes therein, and store of meat, and oil, and wine.

12 And in all the cities he made shields and spears, and made them very strong. And Judah and Benjamin were under him.

13 And the priests and the Levites came unto him out of all Israel, and out of all the coasts thereof.

14 And they left their suburbs and their substance, and came to Judah to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not minister unto the LORD.

15 And he ordained him priests unto the high places, and to the devils of the field, and to the calves which he made.

16 And after them came out of all the tribes of Israel that gave their hearts to inquire of the LORD God of Israel unto Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and confirmed Rehoboam the son of Solomon three years. For they walked in the way of David and Solomon three years.

18 And Rehoboam took Mahelath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

19 And she bare him these sons, Jeus, and Shemariah, and Saham.

20 After whom he took Maechah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare him Abijah, and Athai, and Ziza, and Selomith.

21 But Rehoboam loved Maechah the daughter of Absalom better than all his wives and concubines: for he had eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.

22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maechah chief and ruler among his brethren: for he purposed to make him king.

23 And he increased and brake forth before all his sons in the land of Judah and Benjamin in all the strong cities: and he fed them with multitude, and took many wives;