2 Chronicles 11
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1When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2But Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil and wine. 12He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him. 13The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory. 14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh. 15He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made. 16After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon. 18Rehoboam took a wife for himself, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse. 19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20After her, he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. 23He dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance and he sought many wives for them.
World English Bible (public domain)
“But the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him from all their districts, 16 and those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers.”
2 Chronicles 11:16
Summary
In 2 Chronicles 11, the chapter focuses on the reign of Rehoboam following the division of the kingdom of Israel. After losing ten tribes to Jeroboam, Rehoboam fortifies the cities in Judah and Benjamin to secure his rule. He attempts to consolidate his power and maintain the loyalty of the remaining tribes. The chapter emphasizes the importance of worship by detailing how Rehoboam encourages the people to remain faithful to the Lord amidst the challenges of a divided kingdom. Key to this is his instruction to not attack the northern kingdom, recognizing that this division is part of God's plan. The chapter highlights God's providence in the midst of political turmoil and the necessity of obedience to God's will for true success.
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