2 Chronicles 11:5
in 2 Chronicles 11Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
KJV
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 11
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Rehoboam was between two dangers: on the north he might be attacked by Jeroboam, on the south by Jeroboam’s ally, Egypt. From this side was the greater peril, and therefore out of the 15 cities fortified, all but three were on the southern or western frontier, where Egypt would be most likely to attack.
This site's exposition
built cities for defence in Judah
on 2 Chronicles 11:5-10
Chronicles alone preserves this roster: fifteen cities across Judah and Benjamin, Bethlehem, Etam and Tekoa among the first three, running south and west toward the Philistine and Egyptian frontier. Kings never lists them; the material is the Chronicler's own, likely drawn from the royal archive he names elsewhere as his source. Bethlehem's presence in a defense list, centuries before the child born there, is passed without comment, one more name doing its ordinary work in its own day.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem,.... The metropolis of Judah, and the capital city of his kingdom: and built cities for defence in Judah; that is, rebuilt, enlarged, and fortified them; for otherwise they were built before, though neglected before the revolt of the ten tribes; but now it became necessary to make them more capacious and strong, to protect his people, and defend himself against Israel; for though he was forbid to act offensively, and therefore contented himself to abide in Jerusalem, and not go forth to war; yet he might lawfully put himself into a condition of defence.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
built cities for defence in Judah--This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
And built cities for defense in Judah - He was obliged to strengthen his frontiers against the encroachments of the men of Israel; and Jeroboam did the same thing on his part to prevent the inroads of Judah. See 1Ki 12:25.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב | vaiyeshev | and he dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| רְחַבְעָ֖ם | rechavam | Rehoboam | H7346 → | 50 times |
| בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | birushalim | in Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| וַיִּ֧בֶן | vaiyiven | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| עָרִ֛ים | ʾarim | cities | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| לְמָצ֖וֹר | lematzor | to fortification | H4692 → | 25 times |
| בִּיהוּדָֽה׃ | bihudah | in Judah | H3063 → | 819 times |
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁבand he dwelt
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
רְחַבְעָ֖םRehoboam
rechavamH7346 →50 times
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םin Jerusalem
birushalimH3389 →643 times
וַיִּ֧בֶןand he built
vaiyivenH1129 →376 times
עָרִ֛יםcities
ʾarimH5892 →1090 times
לְמָצ֖וֹרto fortification
lematzorH4692 →25 times
בִּיהוּדָֽה׃in Judah
bihudahH3063 →819 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Chronicles 27:4He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 26:9–10
Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate, and the angle in the wall, and he fortified them.
- 2 Chronicles 26:9–10
Through
2 Chronicles 11:23Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.
it leads to
- Genesis 25:6
But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
- Luke 16:8
The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
- 2 Chronicles 21:3
Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and precious things, as well as the fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.
- 1 Kings 1:5–6
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.
- Genesis 25:6
Through
2 Chronicles 16:6Then King Asa brought all the men of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials he built up Geba and…
it leads to
- Isaiah 10:29
They have crossed at the ford: “We will spend the night at Geba.” Ramah trembles; Gibeah of Saul flees.
- 1 Kings 15:22
Then King Asa summoned all the men of Judah, with no exceptions, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had used for building. And with these materials King Asa…
- Zechariah 14:10
All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be turned into a plain, but Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain in her place, from the Benjamin Gate to the…
- Isaiah 10:29
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsJudahJacob's fourth son who pledges himself for Benjamin; the tribe that carries the scepter to Shiloh (49:10) and the line to Christ (…
- PersonDivided kingdomRehoboamSolomon's son whose refusal of the elders' counsel at Shechem — answering the people with scorpions — tore ten tribes from the hou…
- PlaceJerusalemJerusalemThe city David took from the Jebusites and made his capital, where Solomon built the temple, where Christ was crucified and rose,…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).