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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。

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

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.