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11 جب رحبعام یروشلم آیا تو اس نے ایک لاکھ اسّی ہزار بہترین سپاہیوں کو جمع کیا اس نے ان سپاہیوں کو یہوداہ اور بنیمین کے خاندان سے جمع کیا۔ اس نے انکو اسرائیل کے خلاف لڑ نے کے لئے جمع کیا تا کہ وہ رحبعام کی بادشاہت کو واپس دلا سکیں۔ لیکن خدا وند کا پیغام سمعیاہ کے پاس آیا۔ سمعیاہ خدا کا آدمی تھا۔ خدا وند نے کہا ، “سمعیاہ یہوداہ کے بادشاہ سلیمان کے بیٹے رحبعام سے بات کرو اور یہوداہ اور بنیمین میں رہنے والے سبھی بنی اسرائیلیوں سے بات کرو۔ ان سے کہو خدا وند یہ کہتا ہے : ’تمہیں اپنے بھا ئیوں کے خلاف نہیں لڑ نا چاہئے۔ ہر آدمی اپنے گھر واپس چلا جائے۔ میں نے ہی ایسا ہو نے دیا ہے۔‘” اس لئے بادشاہ رحبعام اور اسکی فوج نے خدا وند کا پیغام مانا اور وہ واپس ہو گئے انہوں نے یربعام پر حملہ نہیں کیا۔

رحبعام کا یہوداہ کو طاقتور بنانا

رحبعام یروشلم میں رہنے لگا۔ اس نے حملہ کے خلاف حفاظت کے لئے یہوداہ میں طاقتور شہر بنائے۔ اس نے بیت اللحم ، عطیام ، تفوع، بیت صور ، سوکو ، عدلام ، جات ، مریسہ ، زیف ، ادوریم، لکیس، عزیقہ ، 10 صرعہ ، ایالون اور حبرون شہروں کی مرمت کی۔ یہوداہ اور بنیمین کے شہروں کو مضبوط بنایا گیا۔ 11 جب رحبعام نے ان شہروں کو مضبوط بنایا تو اس نے اس میں سپہ سالار کو رکھا اس نے اس میں غذائی رسد ، تیل ، مئے بھی ان شہروں میں رکھا۔ 12 رحبعام نے ہر شہر میں ڈھا لیں ، بر چھے بھی رکھے اور شہر کو طا قتور بنایا۔ رحبعام نے یہوداہ اور بنیمین کے لوگوں کو اپنے قابو میں رکھا۔ 13 سارے اسرائیل کے کاہن اور لاوی لوگ رحبعام سے متفّق تھے۔ اور وہ اس کے ساتھ ہو گئے۔ 14 لاوی لوگوں نے اپنی گھاس والی زمین اور کھیت چھو ڑ دیئے اور یہوداہ اور یروشلم آگئے۔ لاوی لوگوں نے ایسا اس لئے کیا کیوں کہ یر بعام اور اس کے بیٹوں نے انہیں خدا وند کے کاہن کے طور پر خدمت کرنے سے منع کر دیا۔ 15 یُربعام نے اپنے ہی کاہنوں کو اعلیٰ جگہوں پر خدمت کے لئے چُنا جہاں اس نے بکروں اور بچھڑوں کی مورتیوں کو رکھا۔ 16 جب لاویوں نے اسرائیل کو چھو ڑا تو اسرائیلی خاندانی گروہ کے وہ لوگ جو خدا وند خدا پر یقین رکھتے تھے یروشلم میں خدا وند اپنے آباؤ اجداد کے خدا کو قربانی پیش کئے۔ 17 ان لوگوں نے یہوداہ کی حکو مت کو طاقتور بنایا اور انہوں نے سلیمان کے بیٹے رحبعام کی تین سال تک حمایت کی۔ انہوں نے ایسا اس لئے کیا کیوں کہ وہ لوگ اس دوران داؤد اور سلیمان کی راہ پر چلتے رہے۔

رحبعام کا خاندان

18 رحبعام نےمحالات سے شادی کی اس کا باپ یریموت تھا اس کی ماں ابی اخیل تھی یریموت داؤد کا بیٹا تھا۔ ابی اخیل الیاب کی بیٹی تھی۔ اور الیاب یسّی کا بیٹا تھا۔ 19 محالات سے رحبعام کو یہ بیٹے ہو ئے : یعوس ، سمریاہ اور زہم۔ 20 تب رحبعام نے معکہ سے شادی کی۔ معکہ ابی سلوم کی بیٹی تھی۔ معکہ کو رحبعام سے یہ بیٹے ہوئے : ابیاہ عتی ، زِیزا اور سلومیت۔ 21 رحبعام سب بیویو ں اور داشتاؤ ں سے زیادہ معکہ کو چاہتا تھا۔ معکہ ابی سلوم کی بیٹی تھی۔ رحبعام کی ۱۸ بیویاں اور ۶۰ داشتائیں تھیں۔ رحبعام ۲۸ بیٹے اور ۶۰ بیٹیوں کا باپ تھا۔ 22 رحبعام نے اپنے بھائیوں میں ابیاہ کو قائد چنا۔ رحبعام نے یہ اس لئے کیا کیوں کہ اس نے ابیاہ کو بادشاہ بنانے کا منصوبہ بنایا۔ 23 رحبعام نے عقلمندی سے کام کیا اور اپنے بیٹوں کو یہوداہ اور بنیمین کے سارے ملک میں ہر ایک طاقتور شہر میں پھیلا دیا۔ اور رحبعام نے اپنے بیٹوں کو بہت زیادہ رسد بھیجی۔ اس نے اپنے بیٹوں کے لئے بیویوں کو تلاش کیا۔

11 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem,(A) he mustered Judah and Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.

But this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah(B) the man of God: “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, ‘This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites.(C) Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’” So they obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities(D) in Judah and Benjamin. 11 He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. 12 He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.

13 The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. 14 The Levites(E) even abandoned their pasturelands and property(F) and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the Lord 15 when he appointed(G) his own priests(H) for the high places and for the goat(I) and calf(J) idols he had made. 16 Those from every tribe of Israel(K) who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 17 They strengthened(L) the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time.

Rehoboam’s Family

18 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 him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20 Then he married Maakah(M) daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah,(N) Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maakah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives(O) and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah(P) son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king. 23 He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions(Q) and took many wives for them.

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.

Rehoboam’s Reign in Judah

11 Now (A)when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

But the word of the Lord came (B)to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” Therefore they obeyed the words of the Lord, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies the Cities

So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, Beth Zur, Sochoh, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities. 11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

Priests and Levites Move to Judah(C)

13 And from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him. 14 For the Levites left (D)their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for (E)Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the Lord. 15 (F)Then he appointed for himself priests for the [a]high places, for (G)the demons, and (H)the calf idols which he had made. 16 (I)And [b]after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel, (J)came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers. 17 So they (K)strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

The Family of Rehoboam

18 Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of (L)Eliah the son of Jesse. 19 And she bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he took (M)Maachah the [c]granddaughter of (N)Absalom; and she bore him (O)Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his (P)wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 And Rehoboam (Q)appointed (R)Abijah the son of Maachah as chief, to be leader among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. 23 He dealt wisely, and [d]dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every (S)fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 11:15 Places for pagan worship
  2. 2 Chronicles 11:16 Lit. after them
  3. 2 Chronicles 11:20 Lit. daughter, but in the broader sense of granddaughter
  4. 2 Chronicles 11:23 distributed