2 Chronicles 11:1-15 ▼

1 When Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he gathered together 180,000 specially chosen soldiers from the households of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 But a message from the LORD came to Shemaiah, a man of God:

3 |Tell Solomon's son Rehoboam, king of Judah and all of Israel in Judah and Benjamin:

4 This is what the LORD says: |You are not to fight or even to approach your relatives in battle. Every soldier is to return to his own home, for this development comes from me.|'| So they listened to what the LORD had to say and called off their attack on Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem and built defensive fortification cities throughout Judah,

6 including Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were all fortified cities throughout Judah and Benjamin.

11 He also strengthened the fortified cities, assigned officers to them, and stockpiled food, oil, and wine.

12 He also stockpiled shields and spears in every city and fortified them greatly to secure his rule over Judah and Benjamin.

13 The priests and descendants of Levi throughout Israel also supported him in their districts,

14 because the descendants of Levi left their pasture lands and their property to live in Judah and Jerusalem, since Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from participating in priestly services to the LORD.

15 Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places and to serve the satyrs and calves that he had made.