II Chronicles 11

vayyavo rekhavam yerushalai͏m vayyaqhel et-bet yehudah uvinyamin me'ah ushemonim elef bakhur oseh milkhamah lehillakhem im-yisra'el lehashiv et-hammamlakhah lirkhavam

When 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.

vayehi devar-Adonai el-shemayahu ish-ha'elohim lemor

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

emor el-rekhavam ben-shelomoh melekh yehudah ve'el kol-yisra'el bihudah uvinyamin lemor

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

koh amar Adonai lo-ta'alu velo-tillakhamu im-akhekhem shuvu ish leveto ki me'itti nihyah haddavar hazzeh vayyishme'u et-divre Adonai vayyashuvu millekhet el-yarovam

Thus 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.

vayyeshev rekhavam birushalai͏m vayyiven arim lematsor bihudah

Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built fortified towns in Judah.

vayyiven et-bet-lekhem ve'et-etam ve'et-teqoa

He built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

ve'et-bet-tsur ve'et-sokho ve'et-adullam

and Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

ve'et-gat ve'et-mareshah ve'et-zif

and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

ve'et-adorayim ve'et-lakhish ve'et-azeqah

and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

ve'et-tsorah ve'et-ayyalon ve'et-khevron asher bihudah uvevinyamin are metsurot

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

vayekhazzeq et-hammetsurot vayyitten bahem negidim ve'otserot ma'akhal veshemen vayayin

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

uvekhol-ir va'ir tsinnot uremakhim vayekhazzeqem leharbeh me'od vayehi-lo yehudah uvinyamin

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

vehakkohanim vehaleviyyim asher bekhol-yisra'el hityatsevu alayw mikkol-gevulam

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

ki-azevu haleviyyim et-migreshehem va'akhuzzatam vayyelekhu lihudah velirushalai͏m ki-hiznikham yarovam uvanayw mikkahen la-Adonai

The 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,

vayya'amed-lo kohanim labbamot velasse'irim vela'agalim asher asah

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

ve'akharehem mikkol shivte yisra'el hannotenim et-levavam levaqqesh et-Adonai elohe yisra'el ba'u yerushalai͏m lizboakh la-Adonai elohe avotehem

From 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.

vayekhazzequ et-malkhut yehudah vaye'ammetsu et-rekhavam ben-shelomoh leshanim shalosh ki halekhu bederekh david ushelomoh leshanim shalosh

They 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.

vayyiqqakh-lo rekhavam isha et-makhalat (vn) [bat-]yerimot ben-david avihayil bat-eli'av ben-yishay

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

vatteled lo banim et-ye'ush ve'et-shemaryah ve'et-zaham

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

ve'akhareha laqakh et-ma'akhah bat-avshalom vatteled lo et-aviyyah ve'et-attay ve'et-ziza ve'et-shelomit

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

vayye'ehav rekhavam et-ma'akhah vat-avshalom mikkol-nashayw ufilagshayw ki nashim shemoneh-esreh nasa ufilagshim shishim vayyoled esrim ushemonah banim veshishim banot

Rehoboam 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.

vayya'amed larosh rekhavam et-aviyyah ven-ma'akhah lenagid be'ekhayw ki lehamelikho

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

vayyaven vayyifrots mikkol-banayw lekhol-artsot yehudah uvinyamin lekhol are hammetsurot vayyitten lahem hammazon larov vayyishal hamon nashim

He 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.