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2 Chronicles 11

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Rehoboam Forbidden to Fight Israel 1–4

1
And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, that were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. ​
2
But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, ​
3
Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4
Thus saith Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they hearkened unto the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam. ​

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah 5–12

5
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. ​
6
He built Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7
And Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,
8
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
9
and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
10
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities. ​
11
And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and oil and wine.
12
And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

Priests and Loyalists Migrate South 13–17

13
And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border. ​
14
For 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 unto Jehovah; ​
15
and he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made. ​
16
And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto Jehovah, the God of their fathers.
17
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon. ​

Rehoboam’s Family and Succession Planning 18–23

18
And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; ​
19
and she bare him sons: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.
20
And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. ​
21
And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines, and begat twenty and eight sons and threescore daughters).
22
And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, even the prince among his brethren; for he was minded to make him king.
23
And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city: and he gave them victuals in abundance. And he sought for them many wives. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles 11

Verse 1

an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men — Judah and Benjamin raise the force, the same figure as in 1 Kings 12:21. 'Chosen' is bachar, picked out. 'Bring… again' is shuv, to turn back, the verb that closes the muster in v.4, where the army 'returned' at the word of the LORD.

Verse 2

Shemaiah the man of God — His name means 'Jah has heard'. 'Man of God' is the title given to Moses (Deut 33:1). 1 Kings 12:22 has 'the word of God' where this verse has 'the word of the LORD'. He appears again as 'Shemaiah the prophet' in 12:5, and 12:15 names his book.

Verse 4

this thing is done of me — The division is the LORD's own doing, as 10:15 says: 'the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite' (see 1 Kings 11:29–31). The people of the north are still called 'your brethren' (ach), and the army obeyed.

Verse 5

cities for defence — Matsor is a fortified place, a stronghold. Verses 6–10 name fifteen of them, three to a verse, from Bethlehem to Hebron. Verse 11 adds that he 'put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine'. The building follows the order of v.4 not to fight Israel.

Verse 10

Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron — Zorah and Ajalon appear in Dan's lot (Josh 19:41–42), and here they stand in Judah and Benjamin. Hebron was the 'inheritance of Caleb' (Josh 14:14) and the city where David reigned over Judah 'seven years and six months' (2 Sam 2:11). 'Fenced' is metsurah, walled.

Verse 13

resorted to him — Yatsab means to take a stand, to present oneself. The priests and Levites came 'out of all their coasts', the territories of the northern tribes. Verses 14–15 give their reason, and v.16 adds those from every tribe who 'set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel'.

Verse 14

their suburbs and their possession — 'Suburbs' (migrash) are the pasture lands given with the Levites' cities for 'their cattle, and for their goods' (Num 35:2–3). They left these behind, though 'the LORD is their inheritance' (Deut 18:2), because Jeroboam and his sons had 'cast them off' (zanach) from the priest's office.

Verse 15

the devils — Se'irim, from sa'ir, a he-goat, the word used for the male goat of the sin offering (Lev 4:23). It is the same word as 'devils' in Lev 17:7, where Israel is told to offer 'no more' sacrifices to them. Jeroboam's priests served these, the high places, and the golden calves (1 Kings 12:28–31).

Verse 17

they strengthened the kingdom — The subject is the priests, Levites and others of vv.13–16 who came to Jerusalem to sacrifice. Their coming made the kingdom and Rehoboam strong for 'three years', the number given twice in the verse. The span closes at 12:1: 'he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.'

Verse 18

Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse — Eliab was Jesse's firstborn (1 Chr 2:13), so Abihail was David's niece. Mahalath was the daughter of Jerimoth, 'the son of David'. Rehoboam's first two wives named here both belong to David's family, and v.20 turns to a third.

Verse 20

Maachah the daughter of Absalom — Scripture names one daughter of Absalom, Tamar (2 Sam 14:27), so 'daughter' here means a descendant. 1 Kings 15:2 calls her 'the daughter of Abishalom', and 2 Chr 13:2 gives Abijah's mother as 'Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah'. Her son Abijah is made chief in v.22.

Verse 23

dealt wisely — The verb is bin, to discern or act with understanding. Rehoboam spread his sons through the fenced cities and supplied them with food. The closing clause, 'he desired many wives', stands beside Deut 17:17, 'Neither shall he multiply wives to himself', and v.21 counts eighteen wives and threescore concubines.