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Chapter 11 |
| 1 | And when
Rehoboam 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 man of God, saying, |
| 3 |
Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in
Judah and Benjamin, saying, |
|
4 | Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go
up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this
thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from
going against Jeroboam. |
| 5 | And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built
cities for defense in Judah. |
|
6 | He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and
Tekoa, |
| 7 |
And Bethzur, 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 in Judah and in Benjamin
fenced cities. |
|
11 | And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains
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 resorted to him out of all their coasts.
|
| 14 | For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to
Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing
the priest's office unto the LORD: |
| 15 | And he ordained him priests
for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had
made. |
| 16 |
And after 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
three 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 Eliab the son of Jesse; |
| 19 | Which bare
him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. |
| 20 | And after
her he took Maachah 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
eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and
threescore daughters.) |
| 22 | And Rehoboam 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 dispersed 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 many wives. |
