2Ch 11 | ABEn | STEP | And Rehoboam came into Jerusalem, and he held an assembly of Judah and Benjamin -- a hundred eighty thousand young men for making war, to wage war against Israel, to return the kingdom to Rehoboam.

‏ 2 Chronicles 11

CHAPTER 11 The Kingdom Is Divided

1 And Rehoboam came into Jerusalem, and he held an assembly of Judah and Benjamin -- a hundred eighty thousand young men for making war, to wage war against Israel, to return the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 And came to pass the word of the lord to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel, the one with Judah and Benjamin, saying! 4 Thus says the lord, You shall not ascend, and you shall not wage war against your brethren. Let [²return ¹each] to his house! for [³from ⁴me ²took place ¹this thing]. And they heeded the word of the lord, and they turned to not go against Jeroboam. 5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and he built [²cities ¹walled] in Judea. 6 And he rebuilt Beth-lehem and Etam and Tekoa, 7 and Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are [³of Judah ⁴and ⁵Benjamin ²cities ¹walled]. 11 And he fortified them with walls, and he appointed in them leaders, and provisions of foods, and olive oil and wine; 12 accordingly city by city with shields and spears. And he strengthened them in magnitude exceedingly, and [⁴were ⁵his ¹Judah ²and ³Benjamin]. 13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel, came together to him from out of all the borders. 14 For [³left behind ¹the ²Levites] their tents, the ones of their possession, and they went to Judah unto Jerusalem, for [⁴cast them out ¹Jeroboam ²and ³his sons] to not officiate to the lord. 15 And he placed for himself priests of the high places, and for the idols, and for the vain things, and for the calves which Jeroboam made. 16 And he cast them out from the tribes of Israel, the ones who gave their heart to seek the lord God of Israel. And they came into Jerusalem to sacrifice to the lord, to the God of their fathers. 17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and they strengthened Rehoboam son of Solomon for [²years ¹three]; for he went by way of David and Solomon for [²years ¹three]. 18 And [²took ³to himself ¹Rehoboam] for a wife Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth son of David, and Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. 19 And she bore to him sons -- Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after these he took Maachah to himself, the daughter of Absalom; and she bore to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maacha daughter of Absalom above all his wives and the concubines; for [³wives ²eighteen ¹he had], and [²concubines ¹sixty]. And he engendered twenty and eight sons, and [²daughters ¹sixty]. 22 And Rehoboam ordained Abijah the son of Maacha as ruler, and for leader among his brethren, for he considered to give him reign. 23 And he grew above all his sons, in all the borders of Judah and Benjamin, and in the [²cities ¹fortified]; and he gave to them [³of provisions ²multitude ¹a vast]; and he asked for a multitude of wives.