2 Chronicles 11

All 23 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

Read 2 Chronicles 11 in the Bible reader, with audio →

  1. 1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered 180,000 chosen men who were warriors from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel, so that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
  2. 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, a man of God:
  3. 3"Go tell King Rehoboam son of Solomon, and all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin:
  4. 4'This is what the LORD says: Do not march out to fight against your own brothers. Every man go home, because I am the one who made this happen.'" So they obeyed the LORD's message and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.
  5. 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem and built fortified cities throughout Judah.
  6. 6He fortified Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
  7. 7Bethzur, Shoco, Adullam,
  8. 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
  9. 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
  10. 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron — all fortified cities in the territories of Judah and Benjamin.
  11. 11He strengthened these fortresses, placed commanders in each one, and stocked them with food, olive oil, and wine.
  12. 12He also supplied every city with shields and spears, making them extremely well defended. So Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.
  13. 13The priests and Levites from all across Israel came and rallied to Rehoboam's side, leaving their territories behind.
  14. 14The Levites abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had removed them from serving as priests of the LORD.
  15. 15Jeroboam had appointed his own priests for the high places, for the devils, and for the calves he had made.
  16. 16Following the Levites, people from every tribe of Israel who were determined to seek the LORD God of Israel also came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
  17. 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because during those three years the people followed the ways of David and Solomon.
  18. 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.
  19. 19They bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.
  20. 20After her, he married Maachah daughter of Absalom. She gave him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
  21. 21Rehoboam loved Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, more than any of his other wives or concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
  22. 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah, Maachah's son, as the leader among his brothers, because he intended to make him the next king.
  23. 23Rehoboam acted wisely by spreading his sons throughout the territories of Judah and Benjamin, stationing them in every fortified city. He provided them with generous supplies. And he desired many wives.