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2 Chronicles 11
Revised Geneva Translation
2 Chronicles 11
Revised Geneva Translation
11 And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered one hundred eighty thousand chosen men of war from the House of Judah and Benjamin, to fight against Israel and to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.
2 But the Word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,
3 “Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel who are in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 ‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall neither go up nor fight against your brethren. Every man should return to his house. For I have done this thing.”’” Therefore, they obeyed the Word of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judah.
6 He also built Bethlehem and Etam and Tekoa
7 and Beth Zur and Sochoh and Adullam
8 and Gath, Mareshah and Ziph
9 and Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah
10 and Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron, which were strong cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11 And he repaired the strongholds and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil and wine.
12 And he put shields and spears in all cities and made them exceedingly strong. So, Judah and Benjamin were his.
13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel, out of all their territories, stood with him.
14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministering to the LORD in the priests’ office.
15 And he ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the demons, and for the calves which he had made.
16 And after the Levites, there came to Jerusalem such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel, to offer to the LORD God of their fathers, from all the tribes of Israel.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, mighty for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, for himself as a wife. And he also took Abihail, the daughter of Eliah, the son of Jesse,
19 who bore him sons: Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.
20 And after her, he took Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore 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 sixty concubines, and begat twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 And Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maachah, the chief ruler among his brethren, and intended to make him king.
23 And he taught him and dispersed all his sons throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, to every strong city. And he gave them abundance of food and desired many wives.
2 Chronicles 11
New International Version
2 Chronicles 11
New International Version
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.
2 But this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah(B) the man of God: 3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘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
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: 6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 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.
Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)
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