II Chronicles 11

1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 of the best soldiers, to make war with Israel in order to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2But the word of GOD came to Shemaiah, the agent of God:

3“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin:

4Thus said GOD: You shall not set out to make war on your kin. Return to your homes, for this thing has been brought about by Me.” They heeded GOD’s words and refrained from marching against Jeroboam.

5Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built fortified towns in Judah.

6He built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, as fortified towns.

11He strengthened the fortified towns and put commanders in them, along with stores of food, oil, and wine,

12and shields and spears in every town. He strengthened them exceedingly; thus Judah and Benjamin were his.

13The priests and the Levites, from all their territories throughout Israel, presented themselves to him.

14The Levites had left their pasturelands and their holdings and had set out for Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had prevented them from serving GOD,

15having appointed his own priests for the shrines, goat-demons, and calves that he had made.

16From all the tribes of Israel, those intent on seeking the ETERNAL God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the ETERNAL God of their ancestors.

17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, for they followed the ways of David and Solomon for three years.

18Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth son of David, and Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

20He then took Maacah daughter of Absalom; she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines—for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22Rehoboam designated Abijah son of Maacah as chief and leader among his brothers, for he intended him to be his successor.

23He prudently distributed all his sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin and throughout the fortified towns; he provided them with abundant food, and he sought many wives for them.