2 Chronicles 11
Christian Standard Bible
Rehoboam in Jerusalem
11 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem,(A) he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—one hundred eighty thousand fit young soldiers—to fight against Israel to restore the reign to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah,(B) the man of God: 3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, 4 ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers.(C) Each of you return home, for this incident has come from me.’”(D)
So they listened to what the Lord said and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
Judah’s King Rehoboam
5 Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities[a](E) in Judah. 6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine. 12 He also put large shields and spears in each and every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.
13 The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, 14 for the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions(F) and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to let them serve as priests of the Lord.(G) 15 Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places,(H) the goat-demons,(I) and the golden calves he had made.(J) 16 Those from every tribe of Israel who had determined in their hearts to seek the Lord their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years,(K) because they walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years.
18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.(L) 19 She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her, he married Maacah daughter[b](M) of Absalom. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. He acquired eighteen wives(N) and sixty concubines and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, leader among his brothers, intending to make him king.(O) 23 Rehoboam also showed discernment by dispersing some of his sons to all the regions of Judah and Benjamin and to all the fortified cities. He gave them plenty of provisions and sought many wives for them.
2 Chronicles 11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Judah and Benjamin Fortified
11 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled one hundred eighty thousand chosen troops of the house of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.(A) 2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God:(B) 3 “Say to King Rehoboam of Judah, son of Solomon, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin: 4 Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight against your kindred. Let everyone return home, for this thing is from me.” So they heeded the word of the Lord and turned back from the expedition against Jeroboam.(C)
5 Rehoboam resided in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. 6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He made the fortresses strong and put commanders in them and stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 He also put large shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
Priests and Levites Support Rehoboam
13 The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all their territories. 14 The Levites had left their pasturelands and possessions and had come to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had prevented them from serving as priests of the Lord(D) 15 and had appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat-demons and for the calves that he had made.(E) 16 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 ancestors.(F) 17 They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.(G)
Rehoboam’s Marriages
18 Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth son of David and of Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.(H) 19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).(I) 22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.(J) 23 He dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities; he gave them abundant provisions and found many wives for them.
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.