2 Chronicles 11 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Rehoboam Builds Cities for Fortification

1 Then Rehoboam ^H7346 came ^H935 to Jerusalem ^H3389 and assembled ^H6950 the house ^H1004 of Judah ^H3063 and Benjamin ^H1144, 180,000 ^{H3967 H8084 H505} chosen ^H977 men who could wage ^H6213 war ^H4421, to fight ^H3898 against ^H5973 Israel ^H3478 to return ^H7725 the kingdom ^H4467 to Rehoboam ^H7346.

2 But the word ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068 came ^H1961 to Shemaiah ^H8098 the man ^H376 of God ^H430, saying ^H559, 3 “Speak ^H559 to Rehoboam ^H7346 the son ^H1121 of Solomon ^H8010, king ^H4428 of Judah ^H3063, and to all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 in Judah ^H3063 and Benjamin ^H1144, saying ^H559, 4 ‘Thus ^H3541 says ^H559 Yahweh ^H3068, “You shall not go ^H5927 up ^H5927 and fight ^H3898 against ^H5973 your brothers ^H251; return ^H7725 every ^H376 man ^H376 to his house ^H1004, for this ^H2088 thing ^H1697 is from Me.”’” So they listened ^H8085 to the words ^H1697 of Yahweh ^H3068 and returned ^H7725 from going ^H1980 against ^H413 Jeroboam ^H3379.

5 Rehoboam ^H7346 lived ^H3427 in Jerusalem ^H3389 and built ^H1129 cities ^H5892 for fortifications ^H4692 in Judah ^H3063. 6 Thus he built ^H1129 Bethlehem ^H1035, Etam ^H5862, Tekoa ^H8620, 7 Beth-zur ^H1049, Soco ^H7755, Adullam ^H5725, 8 Gath ^H1661, Mareshah ^H4762, Ziph ^H2128, 9 Adoraim ^H115, Lachish ^H3923, Azekah ^H5825, 10 Zorah ^H6881, Aijalon ^H357 and Hebron ^H2275, which ^H834 are fortified ^H4694 cities ^H5892 in Judah ^H3063 and in Benjamin ^H1144. 11 He also strengthened ^H2388 the fortresses ^H4694 and put ^H5414 officers ^H5057 in them and stores ^H214 of food ^H3978, oil ^H8081 and wine ^H3196. 12 And he put large ^H6793 shields ^H6793 and spears ^H7420 in every ^H3605 city ^H5892 and strengthened ^H2388 them greatly ^H7235 H3966. So he held ^H1961 Judah ^H3063 and Benjamin ^H1144.

13 Moreover, the priests ^H3548 and the Levites ^H3881 who ^H834 were in all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 took their stand ^H3320 with him from all ^H3605 their territories ^H1366.

Jeroboam Sets Up His Own Priests

14 For the Levites ^H3881 left ^H5800 their pasture ^H4054 lands ^H4054 and their possession ^H272 of land and went ^H1980 to Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389, for Jeroboam ^H3379 and his sons ^H1121 had rejected ^H2186 them from ministering ^H3547 as ^H3547 priests ^H3547 to Yahweh ^H3068— 15 And he set ^H5975 up priests ^H3548 of his own for the high ^H1116 places ^H1116, for the goat ^H8163 demons ^H8163 and for the calves ^H5695 which ^H834 he had made ^H6213— 16 Now those from all ^H3605 the tribes ^H7626 of Israel ^H3478 who gave ^H5414 their hearts ^H3824 to seek ^H1245 Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, [fn]followed ^H935 them to Jerusalem ^H3389, to sacrifice ^H2076 to Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of their fathers ^H1. 17 They strengthened ^H2388 the kingdom ^H4438 of Judah ^H3063 and gave courage ^H553 to Rehoboam ^H7346 the son ^H1121 of Solomon ^H8010 for three ^H7969 years ^H8141, for they walked ^H1980 in the way ^H1870 of David ^H1732 and Solomon ^H8010 for three ^H7969 years ^H8141.

Rehoboam’s Family

18 Then Rehoboam ^H7346 took ^H3947 as a wife ^H802 Mahalath ^H4258 the daughter ^H1323 of Jerimoth ^H3406 the son ^H1121 of David ^H1732 and of Abihail ^H32 the daughter ^H1323 of Eliab ^H446 the son ^H1121 of Jesse ^H3448,

19 and she bore ^H3205 him sons ^H1121: Jeush ^H3266, Shemariah ^H8114, and Zaham ^H2093. 20 And after ^H310 her he took ^H3947 Maacah ^H4601 the daughter ^H1323 of [fn]Absalom ^H53, and she bore ^H3205 him Abijah ^H29, Attai ^H6262, Ziza ^H2124, and Shelomith ^H8019. 21 And Rehoboam ^H7346 loved ^H157 Maacah ^H4601 the daughter ^H1323 of Absalom ^H53 more ^H4480 than ^H4480 all ^H3605 his other wives ^H802 and concubines ^H6370. For he had taken ^H5375 eighteen ^H8083 H6240 wives ^H802 and sixty ^H8346 concubines ^H6370 and became the father ^H3205 of twenty-eight ^H6242 H8083 sons ^H1121 and sixty ^H8346 daughters ^H1323. 22 And Rehoboam ^H7346 set ^H5975 up Abijah ^H29 the son ^H1121 of Maacah ^H4601 to be head ^H7218 and ruler ^H5057 among his brothers ^H251, for he intended to make ^H4427 him king ^H4427. 23 And he acted ^H995 with discernment ^H995 and distributed ^H6555 [fn]some ^H4480 of his sons ^H1121 through all ^H3605 the lands ^H776 of Judah ^H3063 and Benjamin ^H1144 to all ^H3605 the fortified ^H4694 cities ^H5892, and he gave ^H5414 them sustenance ^H4202 in abundance ^H7230. And he sought ^H7592 a multitude ^H1995 of wives ^H802 for them.