2 Chronicles 11:10
New International Version
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

New Living Translation
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin.

English Standard Version
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin.

Berean Standard Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

King James Bible
And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

New King James Version
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities.

New American Standard Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

NASB 1995
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

NASB 1977
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

Legacy Standard Bible
Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

Amplified Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

Christian Standard Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

American Standard Version
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

Contemporary English Version
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. After he had fortified these cities in the territories of Judah and Benjamin,

English Revised Version
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fenced cities.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

Good News Translation
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron.

International Standard Version
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were all fortified cities throughout Judah and Benjamin.

Majority Standard Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

NET Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

New Heart English Bible
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Zorah, and Ajalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

World English Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

Young's Literal Translation
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that are in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Zorah, and Ajalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of fortifications.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.

Catholic Public Domain Version
as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

New American Bible
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron; these were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

New Revised Standard Version
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the calf, even to Dan. And this thing became a sin to all the house of Jeroboam, to be uprooted and destroyed from the earth.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And this matter became a sin, and the people went unto Dan in front of one calf, and this matter became a sin to all the house of Yorbaam, to overthrow and to destroy from the Earth.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and Saraa, and Aelom, and Chebron, which belong to Juda and Benjamin, walled cities.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Rehoboam Fortifies Judah
9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.…

Cross References
1 Kings 12:25
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.

1 Kings 14:21
Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.

2 Chronicles 12:13
Thus King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem and reigned. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.

2 Chronicles 13:2
and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel; she was from Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

2 Chronicles 14:1
Then Abijah rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place, and in his days the land was at peace for ten years.

2 Chronicles 15:8
When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.

2 Chronicles 17:1-2
Asa’s son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place, and he strengthened himself against Israel. / He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah and put garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.

2 Chronicles 19:5
He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.

2 Chronicles 20:8
They have lived in the land and have built in it a sanctuary for Your Name, saying,

2 Chronicles 21:11
Jehoram had also built high places on the hills of Judah; he had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.

2 Chronicles 23:2
So they went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah and the heads of the families of Israel. And when they came to Jerusalem,

2 Chronicles 25:28
They carried him back on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.

2 Chronicles 26:2
Uzziah was the one who rebuilt Eloth and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah rested with his fathers.

2 Chronicles 27:3
Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD, and he worked extensively on the wall at the hill of Ophel.

2 Chronicles 28:15
Then the men who were designated by name arose, took charge of the captives, and provided from the plunder clothing for the naked. They clothed them, gave them sandals and food and drink, anointed their wounds, and put all the feeble on donkeys. So they brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria.


Treasury of Scripture

And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

zorah

Joshua 15:33
And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,

Zoreah

Genesis 23:2
And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Numbers 13:22
And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)

Joshua 14:14
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

Jump to Previous
Aijalon Ai'jalon Ajalon Benjamin Bulwarks Cities Fenced Fortified Hebron Judah Towns Walled Zorah
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Aijalon Ai'jalon Ajalon Benjamin Bulwarks Cities Fenced Fortified Hebron Judah Towns Walled Zorah
2 Chronicles 11
1. Rehoboam raising an army to subdue Israel, is forbidden by Shemaiah
5. He strengthens his kingdom with forts and provisions
13. The priests and Levites, and such as feared God, forsaken by Jeroboam,
17. strengthen the kingdom of Judah
18. The wives and children of Rehoboam














Zorah
This city, located in the Shephelah region of Judah, holds significant historical and biblical importance. Zorah is notably the birthplace of Samson, one of the judges of Israel (Judges 13:2). The Hebrew root "צרעה" (Tzorah) suggests a place of wasps or hornets, possibly indicating a defensive or aggressive stance. Archaeologically, Zorah has been identified with the modern site of Tel Tzora, where remnants of fortifications have been discovered, underscoring its strategic military role in the region.

Aijalon
Aijalon, or "אילון" (Ayalon) in Hebrew, means "place of deer" or "gazelle." This city was strategically located in the Aijalon Valley, serving as a critical passageway between the coastal plain and the hill country of Judah. Historically, Aijalon is remembered for the miraculous event during Joshua's battle against the Amorites, where the sun stood still (Joshua 10:12). Its mention here as a fortified city highlights its continued military significance during Rehoboam's reign, serving as a bulwark against potential invasions from the west.

Hebron
Known as "חברון" (Chevron) in Hebrew, Hebron is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It holds profound biblical significance as the city where Abraham settled and where the patriarchs and matriarchs are buried in the Cave of Machpelah (Genesis 23). As a fortified city, Hebron served as a key defensive and administrative center in Judah. Its historical and spiritual legacy as a city of refuge and a Levitical city underscores its importance in the religious and cultural identity of Israel.

which are fortified cities
The phrase "fortified cities" indicates the strategic military preparations undertaken by Rehoboam, Solomon's son, to protect his kingdom. The Hebrew term "ערי מצור" (arei matzor) refers to cities strengthened with walls, towers, and gates, designed to withstand sieges. This reflects the political and military realities of the time, as Rehoboam sought to consolidate his rule and defend against potential threats from the northern kingdom of Israel and other adversaries.

in Judah and Benjamin
The tribes of Judah and Benjamin formed the southern kingdom of Judah after the division of the united monarchy. Judah, the larger and more dominant tribe, was prophesied to hold the scepter (Genesis 49:10), and Benjamin, though smaller, was known for its fierce warriors (Judges 20:16). The alliance of these tribes under Rehoboam's rule highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to David regarding the enduring nature of his dynasty (2 Samuel 7:16). The fortification of cities within these tribal territories underscores the divine providence and protection over the remnant of Israel, ensuring the continuation of the Davidic line and the eventual coming of the Messiah.

(10) Zorah.--Sur'ah; a ruin on the ridge north of the Wady-es-Surar. The birthplace of Samson.

Aijalon.--Yalo, north of Sur'ah, four leagues west of Gibeon. Zorah and Aijalon, or Ajalon, may have become Benjamite cities at the epoch of the migration of Dan (Judges 18). (See Joshua 19:41-42; also Joshua 15:33; Joshua 10:12.) Of the fifteen fortified cities here enumerated these two lay farthest north.

Hebron.--El Khalil (Genesis 23:2).

Which are in Judah and in Benjamin.--This refers to the entire list. . . .

Verse 10. - Zorah. The people of Zorah, or Zoreah, were the Zareathites of 1 Chronicles 2:53; it was the home of Manoah, and the native place of Samson (see Joshua 15:33; Joshua 19:41. Other interesting references are Judges 13:25; Judges 16:31; Judges 18:2-11; Nehemiah 11:29). It belonged to the original allotment of Dan, and is constantly named in company with Eshtaol. Aijalon. The modern Jalo; also originally belonged to allotment of Dan (Joshua 10:12; Joshua 19:42; Joshua 21:24. Other interesting references are Judges 1:35; 1 Samuel 14:31; 1 Kings 14:30; 1 Chronicles 6:66, 69, 2 Chronicles 28:18). Hebron. One of the most ancient of cities still lasting, rivalling in this respect Damascus. It belonged to Judah and to its hill country (Joshua 15:54; Joshua 20:7); it was about twenty Roman miles south of Jerusalem. Its original name was Kirjath Arba. In Numbers 13:22 it is said that it was built "seven years before Zoan in Egypt," but it is not said when Zoan was built. It now contains about five thousand population, but scarcely a tithe of them Jews. Its long stretch of history is full of incidents of interest, and is partially illustrated by the references that follow: Genesis 13:18; Genesis 23:2-19, 20; Genesis 35:27; Genesis 37:14; Numbers 13:22, 23; Joshua 10:36; Joshua 14:6-15; Joshua 15:13, 14; Joshua 21:11-13; 2 Samuel 4:12; 2 Samuel 5:5; Nehemiah 11:25.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Zorah,
צָרְעָה֙ (ṣā·rə·‘āh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6881: Zorah -- a city exchanged by Judah and Dan

Aijalon,
אַיָּל֔וֹן (’ay·yā·lō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 357: Aijalon -- 'deer', the name of several cities in Palestine

and Hebron,
חֶבְר֔וֹן (ḥeḇ·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2275: Hebron -- 'association, league', a city in southern Judah

the fortified
מְצֻרֽוֹת׃ (mə·ṣu·rō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 4694: A hemming in, a mound, a rampart, fortification

cities
עָרֵ֖י (‘ā·rê)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 5892: Excitement

in Judah
בִּיהוּדָ֖ה (bî·hū·ḏāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

and Benjamin.
וּבְבִנְיָמִ֑ן (ū·ḇə·ḇin·yā·min)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1144: Benjamin -- 'son of the right hand', youngest son of Jacob, also the name of two other Israelites


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OT History: 2 Chronicles 11:10 And Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron which (2 Chron. 2Ch iiCh ii ch 2 chr 2chr)
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