2 Chronicles, 11

1. When Rehoboam reached Jerusalem, he mustered a hundred and eighty thousand picked warriors of the House of Judah and Benjamin to fight Israel and win back the kingdom for Rehoboam.

1. When Rehobo'am came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah, and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehobo'am.

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

2. But the word of the LORD came to Shemai'ah the man of God:

3. 'Say this to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

3. "Say to Rehobo'am the son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

4. "Yahweh says this: Do not go and make war on your brothers; let everyone go home, for this is my doing." ' They obeyed Yahweh's command and went back instead of marching against Jeroboam.

4. `Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your brethren. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.'" So they hearkened to the word of the LORD, and returned and did not go against Jerobo'am.

5. Rehoboam, residing in Jerusalem, fortified a number of towns for the defence of Judah.

5. Rehobo'am dwelt in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah.

6. He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

6. He built Bethlehem, Etam, Teko'a,

7. Beth-Zur, Soco, Adullam,

7. Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8. Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

8. Gath, Mare'shah, Ziph,

9. Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

9. Adora'im, Lachish, Aze'kah,

10. Zorah, Aijalon, Hebron, these being the fortified towns in Judah and Benjamin.

10. Zorah, Ai'jalon, and Hebron, fortified cities which are in Judah and in Benjamin.

11. He equipped these fortresses, stationing commanders in them, with supplies of food, oil and wine,

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

12. and shields and spears in each of these towns, making them extremely strong and thus retaining control of Judah and Benjamin.

12. And he put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

13. The priests and the Levites from all over Israel left their districts to put themselves at his disposal.

13. And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him from all places where they lived.

14. The Levites, indeed, abandoned their pasture lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from the priesthood of Yahweh.

14. For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jerobo'am and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the LORD,

15. Jeroboam had appointed his own priests for the high places dedicated to the satyrs and calves which he had made.

15. and he appointed his own priests for the high places, and for the satyrs, and for the calves which he had made.

16. And those members of all the tribes of Israel who were determined to seek Yahweh, God of Israel, followed those priests and Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, God of their ancestors.

16. And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

17. These added strength to the kingdom of Judah and gave their support to Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years. For three years they remained loyal to David and Solomon.

17. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehobo'am the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

18. Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and of Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse,

18. Rehobo'am took as wife Ma'halath the daughter of Jer'imoth the son of David, and of Ab'ihail the daughter of Eli'ab the son of Jesse;

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

19. and she bore him sons, Je'ush, Shemari'ah, and Zaham.

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

20. After her he took Ma'acah the daughter of Ab'salom, who bore him Abi'jah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelo'mith.

21. Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom, more than all his other wives and concubines. He had in fact a total of eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

21. Rehobo'am loved Ma'acah the daughter of Ab'salom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters);

22. Rehoboam named Abijah son of Maacah as head, hence leader, of his brothers, with a view to making him king,

22. and Rehobo'am appointed Abi'jah the son of Ma'acah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.

23. and acted wisely by distributing his sons throughout the territories of Judah and Benjamin, some in each fortified town, where he provided plenty of food for them and found them wives.

23. And he dealt wisely, and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities; and he gave them abundant provisions, and procured wives for them.