2 Chronicles 11:1-21 ▼

1 When Rehoboam (a people has enlarged) arrived in Jerusalem (city of peace), he mobilized the house of Judah (praised) and Benjamin (son of the right hand)—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel (he wrestles with God) and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 But the word of the LORD {YHWH} came to Shemaiah (heard by YHWH) the man of God {Elohim}:

3 “Tell Rehoboam (a people has enlarged) son of Solomon (peace) king of Judah (praised) and all the Israelites (God prevails) in Judah and Benjamin (son of the right hand)

4 that this is what the LORD {YHWH} says: ‘You⁺ are not to go up and fight against your⁺ brothers. Each of you⁺ must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam (the people will contend).

5 Rehoboam (a people has enlarged) lived in Jerusalem (city of peace), and he built up cities for defense in Judah (praised).

6 He built up Bethlehem (house of bread), Etam (lair of wild beasts), Tekoa (a stockade),

7 Beth-zur (house of the rock), Soco (bushy), Adullam (justice of the people),

8 Gath (winepress), Mareshah (crest of a hill), Ziph (battlement),

9 Adoraim (double glory), Lachish (invincible), Azekah (dug over),

10 Zorah (hornet), Aijalon (field of deer), and Hebron (association), the fortified cities in Judah (praised) and Benjamin (son of the right hand).

11 He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

12 He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah (praised) and Benjamin (son of the right hand) belonged to him.

13 Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel (he wrestles with God) stood with Rehoboam.

14 For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah (praised) and Jerusalem (city of peace), because Jeroboam (the people will contend) and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD {YHWH}.

15 And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.

16 Those from every tribe of Israel (he wrestles with God) who had set their hearts to seek the LORD {YHWH} their God {Elohe} followed the Levites to Jerusalem (city of peace) to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah (praised) and supported Rehoboam (a people has enlarged) son of Solomon (peace) for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David (beloved) and Solomon.

18 And Rehoboam (a people has enlarged) married Mahalath (weak), who was the daughter of David’s (beloved) son Jerimoth (He is Most High) and of Abihail (my father is might), the daughter of Jesse’s (I possess) son Eliab (God is father).

19 She bore sons to him: Jeush (He hurries to aid), Shemariah (kept by YHWH), and Zaham (loathing).

20 After her, he married Maacah (oppression) daughter of Absalom (my father is peace), and she bore to him Abijah (YHWH is my father), Attai (opportune), Ziza (shining), and Shelomith (peaceful).

21 Rehoboam (a people has enlarged) loved Maacah (oppression) daughter of Absalom (my father is peace) more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.