2 Chronicles 11

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 When Rehoboam reached Jerusalem, he mustered a hundred and eighty thousand picked warriors ofthe House of Judah and Benjamin to fight Israel and win back the kingdom for Rehoboam.	1 And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.
2 But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, man of God,	2 And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:
3 'Say this to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to al Israel in Judah and Benjamin,	3 Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:
4 "Yahweh says this: Do not go and make war on your brothers; let everyone go home, for this is mydoing." ' They obeyed Yahweh's command and went back instead of marching against Jeroboam.	4 Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,
5 Rehoboam, residing in Jerusalem, fortified a number of towns for the defence of Judah.	5 And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.
6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,	6 And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,
7 Beth-Zur, Soco, Adul am,	7 And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,
8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,	8 And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,
9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,	9 And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,
10 Zorah, Aijalon, Hebron, these being the fortified towns in Judah and Benjamin.	10 Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.
11 He equipped these fortresses, stationing commanders in them, with supplies of food, oil and wine,	11 And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.
12 and shields and spears in each of these towns, making them extremely strong and thus retainingcontrol of Judah and Benjamin.	12 Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,
13 The priests and the Levites from all over Israel left their districts to put themselves at his disposal.	13 And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,
14 The Levites, indeed, abandoned their pasture lands and their holdings and came to Judah andJerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from the priesthood of Yahweh.	14 Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.
15 Jeroboam had appointed his own priests for the high places dedicated to the satyrs and calves whichhe had made.	15 And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
16 And those members of al the tribes of Israel who were determined to seek Yahweh, God of Israel,fol owed those priests and Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, God of their ancestors.	16 Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.
17 These added strength to the kingdom of Judah and gave their support to Rehoboam son of Solomonfor three years. For three years they remained loyal to David and Solomon.	17 And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.
18 Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and of Abihail daughter of Eliabson of Jesse,	18 And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.
19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.	19 And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.
20 After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.	20 And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.
21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom, more than all his other wives and concubines. Hehad in fact a total of eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.	21 And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he beget eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.
22 Rehoboam named Abijah son of Maacah as head, hence leader, of his brothers, with a view tomaking him king,	22 But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,
23 and acted wisely by distributing his sons throughout the territories of Judah and Benjamin, some ineach fortified town, where he provided plenty of food for them and found them wives.	23 Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.