2 Chronik 11

1And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.

2And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

3Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:

4Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,

5And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.

6And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,

7And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,

8And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,

9And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,

10Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.

11And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.

12Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,

13And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,

14Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.

15And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

16Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.

17And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.

18And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.

19And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.

20And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.

21And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he beget eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.

22But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

23Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.

1Venit autem Roboam in Jerusalem, et convocavit universam domum Juda et Benjamin, centum octoginta millia electorum atque bellantium, ut dimicaret contra Israël, et converteret ad se regnum suum.

2Factusque est sermo Domini ad Semeiam hominem Dei, dicens:

3Loquere ad Roboam filium Salomonis regem Juda, et ad universum Israël, qui est in Juda et Benjamin:

4Hæc dicit Dominus: Non ascendetis, neque pugnabitis contra fratres vestros: revertatur unusquisque in domum suam, quia mea hoc gestum est voluntate. Qui cum audissent sermonem Domini, reversi sunt, nec perrexerunt contra Jeroboam.

5Habitavit autem Roboam in Jerusalem, et ædificavit civitates muratas in Juda.

6Exstruxitque Bethlehem, et Etam, et Thecue,

7Bethsur quoque, et Socho, et Odollam,

8necnon et Geth, et Maresa, et Ziph,

9sed et Aduram, et Lachis, et Azeca,

10Saraa quoque, et Ajalon, et Hebron, quæ erant in Juda et Benjamin, civitates munitissimas.

11Cumque clausisset eas muris, posuit in eis principes, ciborumque horrea, hoc est, olei, et vini.

12Sed et in singulis urbibus fecit armamentarium scutorum et hastarum, firmavitque eas summa diligentia, et imperavit super Judam et Benjamin.

13Sacerdotes autem et Levitæ qui erant in universo Israël, venerunt ad eum de cunctis sedibus suis,

14relinquentes suburbana et possessiones suas, et transeuntes ad Judam et Jerusalem: eo quod abjecisset eos Jeroboam et posteri ejus, ne sacerdotio Domini fungerentur.

15Qui constituit sibi sacerdotes excelsorum, et dæmoniorum, vitulorumque quos fecerat.

16Sed et de cunctis tribubus Israël, quicumque dederant cor suum ut quærerent Dominum Deum Israël, venerunt in Jerusalem ad immolandum victimas suas coram Domino Deo patrum suorum.

17Et roboraverunt regnum Juda, et confirmaverunt Roboam filium Salomonis per tres annos: ambulaverunt enim in viis David et Salomonis, annis tantum tribus.

18Duxit autem Roboam uxorem Mahalath filiam Jerimoth filii David: Abihail quoque filiam Eliab filii Isai,

19quæ peperit ei filios Jehus, et Somoriam, et Zoom.

20Post hanc quoque accepit Maacha filiam Absalom, quæ peperit ei Abia, et Ethai, et Ziza, et Salomith.

21Amavit autem Roboam Maacha filiam Absalom super omnes uxores suas et concubinas: nam uxores decem et octo duxerat, concubinas autem sexaginta: et genuit viginti octo filios, et sexaginta filias.

22Constituit vero in capite Abiam filium Maacha ducem super omnes fratres suos: ipsum enim regem facere cogitabat,

23quia sapientior fuit, et potentior super omnes filios ejus, et in cunctis finibus Juda et Benjamin, et in universis civitatibus muratis: præbuitque eis escas plurimas, et multas petivit uxores.

1Then Rehoboam went to Jerusalem, and he called together the entire house of Judah and of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand elect men of war, so that he might contend against Israel, and turn back his kingdom to himself.

2And the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying:

3“Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and to all of Israel who are of Judah, or of Benjamin:

4Thus says the Lord: You shall not ascend and fight against your brothers. Let each one return to his own house. For it is by my will that this has happened.” And when they had heard the word of the Lord, they turned back, and they did not continue on against Jeroboam.

5Then Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built fortified cities in Judah.

6And he built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

11And when he had enclosed them with walls, he placed in them rulers, and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and wine.

12Moreover, in each city he made an armory of shields and spears, and he strengthened them with the utmost diligence. And he ruled over Judah and Benjamin.

13Then the priests and Levites, who were in all of Israel, came to him from all their settlements,

14leaving behind their suburbs and possessions, and crossing over to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his followers had cast them out, so that they could not exercise the priestly office to the Lord.

15And he appointed for himself priests of high places, and of demons, and of calves that he had made.

16Moreover, out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever would give their heart so that they sought the Lord God of Israel, they went to Jerusalem to immolate their victims before the Lord, the God of their fathers.

17And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and they confirmed Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, for three years. For they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, but only for three years.

18Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and also Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

19They bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20And also after her, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21But Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines. And he conceived twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22Truly, he appointed as the head, Abijah, the son of Maacah, to be the ruler over all his brothers. For he thought to make him king,

23since he was wiser and more powerful than all his sons, even in all the regions of Judah and Benjamin, and in all the fortified cities. And he provided them with very much food, and he sought many wives.