2 Chronicles 11

2 Chronicles Chapter 11 KJV

1Rehoboam raiseth an army to reduce Israel, but is forbidden to proceed by the prophet Shemaiah. 5He buildeth fenced cities, and putteth the strong holds in a good posture of defence. 13The priests and Levites, cast off by Jeroboam in favour of his own idolatrous worship, resort to Jerusalem, and are followed by others out of Israel that feared God. 18Rehoboam's wives and children.
1 And when 1Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the 1man of God, saying,
3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all 1Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your 1brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing 2is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 ¶ And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and 1built cities for defence in Judah.
6 He built even 1Beth-lehem, and 2Etam, and 3Tekoa,
7 And 1Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,
8 And 1Gath, and 2Mareshah, and 3Ziph,
9 And Adoraim, and 1Lachish, and Azekah,
10 And 1Zorah, and Aijalon, and 2Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.
11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put 1captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.
12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
13 ¶ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel aresorted to him out of all their coasts.
14 For the Levites left 1their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for 2Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord:
15 And he 1ordained him priests for the high places, and for 2the devils, and for 3the calves which he had made.
16 And 1after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.
17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for 1three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.
18 ¶ And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of 1Eliab the son of Jesse;
19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 And after her he took aMaachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took 1eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)
22 And 1Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.
23 And he dealt wisely, and 1dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired amany wives.
2 Chronicles 11