THE SECOND BOOK OF THE
CHRONICLES
2 Chronicles 11 ©
Rehoboam attempts to make war upon the Israelites, v. 1, etc. But he is forbidden to do it from God by Shemaiah the prophet, 2. He builds strongholds, which he furnishes with all manner of store, 5. Receives and entertains the priests and Levites, who forsook Israel, because of Jeroboam’s idolatry, 13. He takes many wives and concubines, by whom he gets many children, 18. Whom he makes governors of his fenced cities, 23.
ANDa1when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the 2house of Judah and 3Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, 4which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah 5the man of God, saying,
Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel 6in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
Thus saith the LORD, Yeb shall not go up, nor fight against 7your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done 8of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
¶And Rehoboam dwelt in 9Jerusalem, and 10built cities for defence in 11Judah.
He built even 12Beth-lehem, and 13Etam, and 14Tekoa,
And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,
And 15Gath, and 16Mareshah, and Ziph,
And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
And 17Zorah, and 18Aijalon, and 19Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.
And he fortified the strong holds, and put 20captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.
And in 21every several city he put 22shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
¶And the priests and the Levites 23that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboamc and his sons had cast them off from executing the 24priest’s office unto the LORD:
And he ordainedd him priests for the 25high places, and for the 26devils, and for the 27calves which he had made.
And 28after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to 29seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for 30three years they 31walked in the way of David and 32Solomon.
¶And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, 33and Abihail the daughter of 34Eliab the son of Jesse;
Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
And after her he took 35Maachahe the daughter of 36Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his 37concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)
And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah 38the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.
And 39he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave 40them victual in abundance. And he 41desired many wives.