The kingdom
Rehoboam's Wives, Children, and Heir
The chapter concludes with an overview of Rehoboam's family: his wives Mahalath and Maakah, his eighteen other wives and sixty concubines, as well as his twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. He loved Maakah the most and appointed her son Abijah as leader among his brothers to make him king. Wisely, he scattered the other sons throughout the fortified cities of Judah and Benjamin, providing them with abundant supplies and many wives.
2 Chronicles 11,18-23
18Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth son of David, whose mother was Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.
וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ל֤וֹ רְחַבְעָם֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה אֶת־מָ֣חֲלַ֔ת *בן־**בַּת־יְרִימ֖וֹת בֶּן־דָּוִ֑יד אֲבִיהַ֕יִל בַּת־אֱלִיאָ֖ב בֶּן־יִשָֽׁי׃
19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ בָּנִ֑ים אֶת־יְע֥וּשׁ וְאֶת־שְׁמַרְיָ֖ה וְאֶת־זָֽהַם׃
20After her he took Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
וְאַחֲרֶ֣יהָ לָקַ֔ח אֶֽת־מַעֲכָ֖ה בַּת־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַתֵּ֣לֶד ל֗וֹ אֶת־אֲבִיָּה֙ וְאֶת־עַתַּ֔י וְאֶת־זִיזָ֖א וְאֶת־שְׁלֹמִֽית׃
21Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, more than all his other wives and concubines; he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
וַיֶּאֱהַ֨ב רְחַבְעָ֜ם אֶת־מַעֲכָ֣ה בַת־אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם מִכָּל־נָשָׁיו֙ וּפִ֣ילַגְשָׁ֔יו כִּ֠י נָשִׁ֤ים שְׁמוֹנֶֽה־עֶשְׂרֵה֙ נָשָׂ֔א וּפִֽילַגְשִׁ֖ים שִׁשִּׁ֑ים וַיּ֗וֹלֶד עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וּשְׁמוֹנָ֛ה בָּנִ֖ים וְשִׁשִּׁ֥ים בָּנֽוֹת׃
22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.
וַיַּֽעֲמֵ֨ד לָרֹ֧אשׁ רְחַבְעָ֛ם אֶת־אֲבִיָּ֥ה בֶֽן־מַעֲכָ֖ה לְנָגִ֣יד בְּאֶחָ֑יו כִּ֖י לְהַמְלִיכֽוֹ׃
23He acted wisely, dispersing his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities, and he gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.
וַיָּבֶן֩ וַיִּפְרֹ֨ץ מִכָּל־בָּנָ֜יו לְֽכָל־אַרְצ֧וֹת יְהוּדָ֣ה וּבִנְיָמִ֗ן לְכֹל֙ עָרֵ֣י הַמְּצֻר֔וֹת וַיִּתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֛ם הַמָּז֖וֹן לָרֹ֑ב וַיִּשְׁאַ֖ל הֲמ֥וֹן נָשִֽׁים׃