2 Chronicles 11:13-23

13 Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.

Jeroboam Appoints False Priests

14 For ¹the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for ²Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD.

15 ³He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made.

16 ⁴Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.

17 ⁵They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Rehoboam's Family

18 Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of ⁶Eliab the son of Jesse,

19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.

20 After her he took ⁷Maacah the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For ⁸he had taken eighteen * wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight * sons and sixty daughters.

22 ⁹Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.

23 He acted wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he sought many wives for them.

2 Chronicles 11:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 11

In this chapter are related the preparations Rehoboam made to regain the ten tribes that revolted from him, but was forbid making the attempt by a prophet of the Lord, which he paid a regard unto, 2Ch 11:1-4, the fortification of several cities in Judah and Benjamin for his defence, 2Ch 11:5-12, the resort of several priests and Levites to him from Jeroboam, which served to strengthen his kingdom, 2Ch 11:13-17, and an account of his wives, and of his children, and of his disposal of them, 2Ch 11:18-23.

been at Shechem, and had given his answer to the request of the men of Israel, upon which they revolted from him: this and the three following verses are the same with 1Ki 12:21-24. \\See Gill on "1Ki 12:21"\\. 19374-950111-2023-2Ch11.2

Cross References

• 1. Numbers 35:2-5
• 2. 1 Kings 12:28-33; 2 Chronicles 13:9
• 3. 1 Kings 12:31; 1 Kings 13:33
• 4. 2 Chronicles 15:9
• 5. 2 Chronicles 12:1
• 6. 1 Samuel 16:6
• 7. 1 Kings 15:2; 2 Chronicles 13:2
• 8. Deuteronomy 17:17
• 9. Deuteronomy 21:15-17

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "came after"
• [b]. In 1 Kin 15:2, "Abishalom"
• [c]. Lit "from all"