2 Chronicles 11 21

2 Chronicles 11:21 kjv

And Rehoboam loved Maachah 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.)

2 Chronicles 11:21 nkjv

Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

2 Chronicles 11:21 niv

Rehoboam loved Maakah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

2 Chronicles 11:21 esv

Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).

2 Chronicles 11:21 nlt

Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and they gave birth to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

2 Chronicles 11 verses

2 Chronicles 11 21 Meaning

2 Chronicles 11:21 describes Rehoboam's profound affection for Maacah, whom he favored above all his other wives and concubines. The verse also details the extensive nature of his royal household, listing his total of eighteen wives, sixty concubines, and the numerous children he begat from them: twenty-eight sons and threescore daughters. This verse highlights Rehoboam's personal affections and the large scale of his family, which had implications for his reign and the dynastic succession.

2 Chronicles 11 21 Context

Chapter 11 of 2 Chronicles details the initial period of Rehoboam's reign after the northern tribes seceded. Faced with a divided kingdom, Rehoboam is initially advised not to wage war against Israel (vv. 1-4) and instead focuses on fortifying cities in Judah and Benjamin (vv. 5-12). Significantly, the priests and Levites from all Israel, who were driven out by Jeroboam's idolatry, moved to Judah, strengthening Rehoboam's kingdom and adding spiritual legitimacy (vv. 13-17). Following this, the chapter turns to Rehoboam's personal life and family structure, highlighting his marital practices and his significant progeny. This particular verse (v. 21) serves to underline Rehoboam's internal stability and dynastic strength through his many descendants, preparing for the later description of succession and conflict. Historically, such numerous wives and concubines were common for kings in the Ancient Near East, demonstrating wealth, power, and securing alliances, though often contravening the spirit of the Mosaic Law for Israelite kings.

2 Chronicles 11 21 Word analysis

• And Rehoboam loved (וַיֶּאֱהַב - vayyeʾehāḇ): The verb ʾāhēb denotes strong affection or preferential love. In this context, it signifies a distinct favoring, showing a partiality that elevated Maacah above all other women in his very large household.
• Maacah (מַעֲכָה - Maʿăḵāh): Her name is significant. She is also mentioned as "Maacah, the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah" in 2 Chronicles 13:2, where she is identified as the mother of King Abijah (Rehoboam's successor). The designation "daughter of Absalom" here, when juxtaposed with "daughter of Uriel of Gibeah" (2 Chr 13:2), suggests she was the granddaughter of Absalom. Ancient Near Eastern genealogy often used "daughter of" or "son of" to refer to descendants further removed, or to indicate a familial lineage that held political significance. Absalom had one known daughter named Tamar (2 Sam 14:27), making Maacah likely Tamar's daughter, or a daughter from another (unrecorded) daughter of Absalom. This connection to Absalom, King David's rebellious son, suggests a continued royal line within Judah and perhaps an attempt by Rehoboam to solidify his position through marriage alliances that reached back into significant segments of David's wider family, including potential heirs of Absalom.
• daughter of Absalom (בַּת-אֲבִישָׁלוֹם - baṯ-ʾaḇîšālōm): As noted, this phrase likely means "granddaughter of Absalom." This familial tie to a previous Davidic royal challenger is politically interesting; Rehoboam integrates rather than alienates Absalom's descendants.
• above all his wives and his concubines: This highlights Maacah's preeminent status. Such favoritism, while not explicitly condemned here, often led to jealousy and conflict within polygamous households, as seen with Abraham, Jacob, and Elkanah's families.
• (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.): The parenthetical remark emphasizes Rehoboam's immense power, wealth, and desire for dynastic security through numerous offspring.
  • eighteen wives, and sixty concubines: The total of seventy-eight principal women in his household represents a vast retinue. While it was common for kings to have multiple wives and concubines to demonstrate status and secure alliances, this multiplication of wives significantly surpassed what was envisioned by the Mosaic Law for kings (Deut 17:17), which warned against excessive accumulation of wealth, horses, and wives lest the king's heart be led astray. Rehoboam’s practice mirrors that of his grandfather David and his father Solomon, though Solomon's accumulation far exceeded Rehoboam's.
  • begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters (60 daughters): These numbers (28 sons, 60 daughters) reflect considerable fertility and success in producing a numerous progeny. This was crucial for ancient kings for ensuring dynastic succession and stability. It speaks to God's general blessing of fertility, even when the means of achieving it (polygamy) diverged from ideal divine standards. Rehoboam, unlike Saul, ensured a sprawling family to secure the kingdom, showing strategic wisdom despite his moral shortcomings.

2 Chronicles 11 21 Bonus section

• The Chronicler's emphasis on Rehoboam's large family stands in stark contrast to his moral and spiritual failings detailed elsewhere. It underscores a key theme in Chronicles: that the welfare and prosperity of the kingdom are intrinsically linked to the actions of its kings, not just spiritually, but also practically through ensuring a stable succession.
• The biblical accounts show a pattern where excessive multiplication of wives often leads to internal family strife (as seen in Genesis) or, in the case of kings, spiritual declension due to foreign influence (as seen with Solomon). While 2 Chronicles 11:21 primarily presents it as a positive indication of Rehoboam's strength, it also subtly alludes to a practice that historically carried spiritual risks for the monarchy.
• The precise numbers provided (18 wives, 60 concubines, 28 sons, 60 daughters) demonstrate meticulous record-keeping or a stylistic choice by the Chronicler to convey the magnitude and organized nature of the royal court. It also highlights the fertility seen as a blessing and a mark of divine favor in ancient Israel, contributing to a secure succession.

2 Chronicles 11 21 Commentary

2 Chronicles 11:21 offers a glimpse into Rehoboam's family life, emphasizing his favoritism for Maacah and the remarkable size of his royal household. This detailed account of wives, concubines, and numerous children highlights several key aspects of his reign. Firstly, the emphasis on his vast progeny—28 sons and 60 daughters—underscores a conscious effort to establish a stable and enduring dynasty following the traumatic division of the kingdom. Such a large family base allowed Rehoboam to strategically appoint his sons throughout the fortified cities of Judah (2 Chr 11:23), consolidating his control and providing multiple potential heirs and loyal administrators.

Secondly, Rehoboam's clear favoritism towards Maacah, a descendant of Absalom, signals potential political maneuvers. By integrating Absalom's lineage through a favored wife, Rehoboam may have sought to heal past wounds, reinforce the legitimacy of his own line by association with other branches of the Davidic family, or secure the loyalty of certain factions. While not explicitly condemned here, Rehoboam's multiplication of wives and concubines runs counter to the spirit, if not the letter, of the Deuteronomic law for kings (Deut 17:17), which aimed to prevent the king's heart from turning away from the Lord due to foreign wives and excessive material accumulation. His father Solomon's apostasy through foreign wives (1 Kgs 11:1-8) serves as a stark warning, though Maacah herself is presented here simply as a beloved wife rather than a source of idolatry.

This verse reveals Rehoboam as a ruler who, after the initial folly that led to the kingdom's division, sought to secure his reign through practical measures, including strengthening his family lines. While providing stability for the kingdom through progeny and alliances, his lifestyle choices also foreshadow potential pitfalls inherent in polygamy and a departure from the singular focus on the Lord, an issue which is indeed taken up concerning Rehoboam later in Chronicles (2 Chr 12:1).