|
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. |
