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耶和華禁止他們交戰(A)

11 羅波安回到耶路撒冷,就召集猶大家和便雅憫家,共十八萬人,都是精兵,要和以色列人交戰,好把王國奪回,再歸自己。 但耶和華的話臨到神人示瑪雅,說: “你要告訴所羅門的兒子、猶大王羅波安,以及所有住在猶大和便雅憫的以色列人,說: ‘耶和華這樣說:你們不可上去,也不可和你們的兄弟交戰。你們各自回家去吧,因為這事是出於我。’”於是他們聽從耶和華的話,都回家,不去攻打耶羅波安。

羅波安的建樹

羅波安住在耶路撒冷,他在猶大建造了多座設防城。 他修築了伯利恆、以坦、提哥亞、 伯.夙、梭哥、亞杜蘭、 迦特、瑪利沙、西弗、 亞多萊音、拉吉、亞西加、 10 瑣拉、亞雅崙、希伯崙;這些都是猶大和便雅憫境內的設防城。 11 他又鞏固這些設防城,在城裡設軍長,貯備糧食、油和酒。 12 又在各城裝備了大盾牌和矛槍,使這些城市十分堅固。這樣,猶大和便雅憫都在他統治之下。

祭司與利未人都來歸羅波安

13 全以色列的祭司和利未人,都從各地來歸向羅波安。 14 利未人放棄了他們的草場和產業,來到猶大和耶路撒冷,是因為耶羅波安和他的兒子排斥他們,不准他們作祭司事奉耶和華。 15 耶羅波安為邱壇、公山羊神,以及他鑄造的牛犢,自己設立了祭司。 16 以色列眾支派中所有定意尋求耶和華以色列的 神的,都隨著利未人來到耶路撒冷,向耶和華他們列祖的 神獻祭。 17 這樣,他們就加強了猶大國的勢力,使所羅門的兒子羅波安強盛了三年,因為他們在這三年,跟隨了大衛和所羅門的道路。

羅波安的家室

18 羅波安娶了大衛的兒子耶利摩的女兒瑪哈拉作妻子,她也就是耶西的兒子以利押的女兒亞比孩的女兒; 19 她給羅波安生了幾個兒子,就是耶烏施、示瑪利雅和撒罕。 20 後來,羅波安又娶了押沙龍的外孫女瑪迦;瑪迦給他生了亞比雅、亞太、細撒和示羅密。 21 羅波安共娶了十八個妻子和六十個妾;共生了二十八個兒子,六十個女兒;他卻愛押沙龍的外孫女瑪迦,勝過其他的妻妾。 22 於是羅波安立了瑪迦的兒子亞比雅作太子,在他的兄弟中為首,因為羅波安想立他繼承王位。 23 羅波安很有智慧地把自己的兒子分散在猶大和便雅憫各地的設防城中,供給他們大批糧食,又為他們娶了多位妻子。

11 When Rechav‘am arrived in Yerushalayim, he assembled the house of Y’hudah and Binyamin, 180,000 select soldiers, to fight Isra’el and bring the rulership back to Rechav‘am. But this word of Adonai came to Sh’ma‘yah the man of God: “Speak to Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo, king of Y’hudah, and to all Isra’el in Y’hudah and Binyamin; tell them that this is what Adonai says: ‘You are not to go up and fight your brothers! Every man is to go back home, because this is my doing.’” They paid attention to the words of Adonai and turned back from attacking Yarov‘am.

Rechav‘am lived in Yerushalayim and built cities for defense in Y’hudah — he built Beit-Lechem, ‘Eitam, T’koa, Beit-Tzur, Sokho, ‘Adulam, Gat, Mareshah, Zif, Adorayim, Lakhish, ‘Azekah, 10 Tzor‘ah, Ayalon and Hevron; these are fortified cities in Y’hudah and Binyamin. 11 He fortified the strongholds, appointed captains in charge of them and supplied them with food, olive oil and wine. 12 In every city he put shields and spears, making them very strong. Y’hudah and Binyamin stuck with him.

13 The cohanim and L’vi’im from wherever they lived throughout all Isra’el made themselves available to Rechav‘am. 14 The L’vi’im left their pasture lands and property and came to Y’hudah and Yerushalayim; since Yarov‘am and his sons had thrown them out, not allowing them to function as cohanim for Adonai, 15 and had appointed for himself cohanim for the high places and for the images of goat-demons and calves that he had made. 16 Those from all the tribes of Isra’el who had set their hearts on seeking Adonai, the God of Isra’el, followed them to Yerushalayim to sacrifice to Adonai, the God of their fathers. 17 For three years they strengthened the kingdom of Y’hudah and made Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo strong, because for three years they followed the way of life of David and Shlomo.

18 Rechav‘am married Machalat the daughter of Yerimot the son of David and Avichayil the daughter of Eli’av the son of Yishai; 19 and she became the mother of his sons Ye‘ush, Sh’maryah and Zaham. 20 After her, he married Ma‘akhah the daughter of Avshalom; she became the mother of Aviyah, ‘Atai, Ziza and Shlomit. 21 Rechav‘am loved Ma‘akhah more than all his other wives and concubines — for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 Rechav‘am appointed Aviyah the son of Ma‘akhah chief, the leader of his brothers, because he intended to make him king. 23 He was wise in his treatment of his sons, sending all of them throughout the territory of Y’hudah and Binyamin, to every fortified city, providing them with plenty of supplies and seeking for them many wives.

11 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.

But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

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

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.

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

He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

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.

'2 Chronicles 11 ' not found for the version: Worldwide English (New Testament).

11 Upon arrival at Jerusalem, Rehoboam mobilized the armies of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 strong, and declared war against the rest of Israel in an attempt to reunite the kingdom.

But the Lord told Shemaiah the prophet,

“Go and say to King Rehoboam of Judah, Solomon’s son, and to the people of Judah and of Benjamin:

“‘The Lord says, Do not fight against your brothers. Go home, for I am behind their rebellion.’” So they obeyed the Lord and refused to fight against Jeroboam.

5-10 Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem and fortified these cities of Judah with walls and gates to protect himself: Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron.

11 He also rebuilt and strengthened the forts, and manned them with companies of soldiers under their officers, and stored them with food, olive oil, and wine. 12 Shields and spears were placed in armories in every city as a further safety measure. For only Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to him.

13-14 However, the priests and Levites from the other tribes now abandoned their homes and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, for King Jeroboam had fired them, telling them to stop being priests of the Lord. 15 He had appointed other priests instead who encouraged the people to worship idols instead of God and to sacrifice to carved statues of goats and calves, which he placed on the hills. 16 Laymen, too, from all over Israel began moving to Jerusalem where they could freely worship the Lord God of their fathers and sacrifice to him. 17 This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, so King Rehoboam survived for three years without difficulty; for during those years there was an earnest effort to obey the Lord as King David and King Solomon had done.[a]

18 Rehoboam married his cousin[b] Mahalath. She was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of David’s brother Eliab. 19 Three sons were born from this marriage—Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 Later he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. The children she bore him were Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 He loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines (he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines—with twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). 22 Maacah’s son Abijah was his favorite, and he intended to make him the next king. 23 He very wisely scattered his other sons in the fortified cities throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin, and gave them large allowances and arranged for them to have several wives apiece.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 11:17 as King David and King Solomon had done, literally, “they walked in the way of David and Solomon.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 11:18 Rehoboam married his cousin, implied.