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2 Chronicles 11
Lexham English Bible

Rehoboam’s Kingdom

11 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors,[a] to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying, 3 “Say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘Thus says Yahweh: “Do not go up, and do not fight against your brothers. Return, each man to his house, for this matter has come from me.”’” So they obeyed the words of Yahweh and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

5 And Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities as strongholds in Judah. 6 He built Bethlehem, Etah, Tekoa, 7 Beth-Zur, Socoh, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 And he strengthened the fortifications and put commanders in them, along with stores of food, olive oil, and wine. 12 And in all the cities he put shields and spears, and he greatly strengthened them. So he had Judah and Benjamin.

The Priests and Levites Come to Jerusalem

13 Now the priests and the Levites who were throughout all Israel took their stand with him[b] from all their territories. 14 For the Levites left their pasturelands and their property and came to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh. 15 And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the bull calves that he had made. 16 Then after them, from all the tribes of Israel, those who set their heart to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to offer to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.[c] 17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, secure for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Rehoboam’s Harem and Family

18 Then Rehoboam took to himself as a wife Mahalath, the daughter[d] of Yerimot son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse. 19 And she bore to him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). 22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as chief and crown prince over his brothers, in order to make him king. 23 And he dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons throughout all the land of Judah and Benjamin, through all the fortified cities, and gave abundant provisions to them and obtained many wives for them.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 11:1 Literally “chosen makers of war”
  2. 2 Chronicles 11:13 That is, Rehoboam
  3. 2 Chronicles 11:16 Or “fathers”
  4. 2 Chronicles 11:18 This follows the reading tradition (Qere); the Kethib reading has “son”
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2 Chronicles 11
New English Translation

11 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from Judah and Benjamin[a] to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the Lord’s message came to the prophet[b] Shemaiah, 3 “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’”[c] They obeyed the Lord and called off the attack against Jeroboam.[d]

Rehoboam’s Reign

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah: 6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11 He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine. 12 In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them.[e] Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

13 The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided.[f] 14 The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests. 15 Jeroboam[g] appointed his own priests to serve at the worship centers[h] and to lead in the worship of the goat idols and calf idols he had made.[i] 16 Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the Lord God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem[j] to sacrifice to the Lord God of their ancestors.[k] 17 They supported[l] the kingdom of Judah and were loyal to[m] Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years; they followed the edicts of[n] David and Solomon for three years.

18 Rehoboam married[o] Mahalath the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of[p] Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19 She bore him sons named Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines.[q] He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as the leader over his brothers, for he intended to name him his successor.[r] 23 He wisely placed some of his many sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin in the various fortified cities.[s] He supplied them with abundant provisions and acquired many wives for them.[t]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 11:1 tn Heb “he summoned the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men, accomplished in war.”
  2. 2 Chronicles 11:2 tn Heb “man of God.”
  3. 2 Chronicles 11:4 tn Heb “for this thing is from me.”
  4. 2 Chronicles 11:4 tn Heb “and they heard the words of the Lord and returned from going against Jeroboam.”
  5. 2 Chronicles 11:12 tn Heb “he strengthened them greatly, very much.”
  6. 2 Chronicles 11:13 tn Heb “and the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel supported him from all their territory.”
  7. 2 Chronicles 11:15 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jeroboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. 2 Chronicles 11:15 tn Heb “for the high places.”
  9. 2 Chronicles 11:15 tn Heb “and for the goats and for the calves that he had made.”
  10. 2 Chronicles 11:16 tn Heb “and after them from all the tribes of Israel, the ones giving their heart[s] to seek the Lord God of Israel came [to] Jerusalem.”
  11. 2 Chronicles 11:16 tn Heb “fathers.”
  12. 2 Chronicles 11:17 tn Or “strengthened.”
  13. 2 Chronicles 11:17 tn Or “strengthened.”
  14. 2 Chronicles 11:17 tn Heb “they walked in the way of.”
  15. 2 Chronicles 11:18 tn Heb “took for himself a wife.”
  16. 2 Chronicles 11:18 tn The words “and of” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
  17. 2 Chronicles 11:21 sn Concubines were slave women in ancient Near Eastern societies who were the legal property of their master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with their master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. After the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (2 Sam 21:10-14; 1 Kgs 11:3).
  18. 2 Chronicles 11:22 tn Heb “and Rehoboam appointed for a head Abijah son of Maacah for ruler among his brothers, indeed to make him king.”
  19. 2 Chronicles 11:23 tn Heb “and he was discerning and broke up from all his sons to all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities.”
  20. 2 Chronicles 11:23 tn “and he asked for a multitude of wives.”
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