2 Chronicles 11: Rehoboam is told not to fight, and builds up Judah
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What happens?
Rehoboam gathers 180,000 chosen men of Judah and Benjamin to fight Israel, but Yahweh's word comes to Shemaiah the man of God telling them not to go up, and they turn back. Rehoboam builds fortified cities in Judah and puts commanders, food and weapons in them. The priests and Levites leave their land in Israel for Judah and Jerusalem, and so do others who seek Yahweh, and the chapter ends with Rehoboam's wives, his sons and his choice of Abijah as chief.
Who is speaking?
God speaks in 2 of the 23 verses. Verse 2 says Yahweh's word came to Shemaiah, saying, and the words that follow in verses 3 and 4 are what the text gives to Yahweh: "Speak to Rehoboam...", and the message he is to speak, "You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers...". Verse 4 then says the people listened to Yahweh's words, which are the narrator's words. The rest is the narrator's telling. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
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.
In plain English: When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he called together the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were makers of war (that is, warriors), to fight with Israel and to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.
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2But Yahweh’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
In plain English: But Yahweh's word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
Good to know: has the same verse, but says "the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God". This verse says "Yahweh's word". The text does not explain the difference.
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3“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,God speaks
In plain English: "Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,
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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.God speaks
In plain English: 'Yahweh says, "You shall not go up and you shall not fight with your brothers. Everyone go back to his own house, for this thing has come from me."'" So they listened to Yahweh's words and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
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5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
In plain English: Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah.
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6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
In plain English: He built Bethlehem, Etam and Tekoa,
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7Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
In plain English: Beth Zur, Soco and Adullam,
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8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
In plain English: Gath, Mareshah and Ziph,
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9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
In plain English: Adoraim, Lachish and Azekah,
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10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
In plain English: Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
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11He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, oil and wine.
In plain English: He made the strongholds strong and put commanders in them, with stores of food, oil and wine.
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12He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
In plain English: In every city he put shields and spears, and he made them very strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
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13The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.
In plain English: The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him, from all their territory.
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14For the Levites left their pasture lands and their possessions, 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.
In plain English: For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and went to Judah and to Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh.
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15He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols which he had made.
In plain English: He appointed priests for himself for the high places, and for the goats (this Bible: male goat idols) and for the calves (this Bible: calf idols) which he had made.
The Hebrew word: "Male goat" is sair, which the dictionary gives as "a he-goat; by analogy, a faun". This Bible says "goat" or a longer form in 55 of the 57 verses that use the word. The Hebrew in this verse is word for word "for the goats and for the calves which he had made". It does not have the word "idols"; this Bible adds it.
What changes: Read as "male goat idols", the verse names images of goats. Read as "goats" without "idols", the Hebrew does not itself say what the goats were. The text does not say which.
Good to know: The text says plainly that Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for these things. says he made two calves of gold, and says he made houses of high places and made priests from among all the people, "who were not of the sons of Levi". says the same about the priests.
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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.
In plain English: After them, from 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.
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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.
In plain English: So they made the kingdom of Judah strong and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
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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.
In plain English: Rehoboam 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 (the Hebrew has no "and of" before Abihail; this Bible adds it, which makes her Mahalath's mother. Without it the verse could be read as naming two women).
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19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
In plain English: She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
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20After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
In plain English: After her he took Maacah, the daughter (or: granddaughter) of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
The Hebrew word: "Granddaughter" is bat, which the dictionary gives as "a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)". This Bible says "daughter" or a longer form in 455 of the 498 verses that use it, and "granddaughter" in only 2: this verse and .
What changes: Read as "daughter", Maacah is Absalom's daughter. Read as "granddaughter", she is a later descendant of his. The text does not say which. calls Abijam's mother "Maacah the daughter of Abishalom"; gives Abijah's mother's name as Micaiah.
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21Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter 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.
In plain English: Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter (or: granddaughter) of Absalom, more than all his wives and his concubines, for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
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22Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
In plain English: Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as chief, to be leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
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23He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of 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.
In plain English: He acted wisely and distributed some of all his sons through all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities. He gave them food in abundance, and he sought many wives (the Hebrew does not say for whom; the WEB adds "for them").
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