✠ The Douay-Rheims Bible
✠ 2 Chronicles 11
Chapters
2 CHRON 11:1 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 CHRON 11:2 And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:
2 CHRON 11:3 Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:
2 CHRON 11:4 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,
2 CHRON 11:5 And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.
2 CHRON 11:6 And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,
2 CHRON 11:7 And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,
2 CHRON 11:8 And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,
2 CHRON 11:9 And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,
2 CHRON 11:10 Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.
2 CHRON 11:11 And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.
2 CHRON 11:12 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,
2 CHRON 11:13 And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,
2 CHRON 11:14 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.
2 CHRON 11:15 And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
2 CHRON 11:16 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 be- fore the Lord the God of their fathers.
2 CHRON 11:17 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.
2 CHRON 11:18 And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.
2 CHRON 11:19 And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.
2 CHRON 11:20 And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.
2 CHRON 11:21 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.
2 CHRON 11:22 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,
2 CHRON 11:23 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.