The Meaning of 2 Chronicles 11:5 Explained

2 Chronicles 11:5

KJV: And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

YLT: And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah,

Darby: And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

ASV: And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Rehoboam  dwelt  in Jerusalem,  and built  cities  for defence  in Judah. 

What does 2 Chronicles 11:5 Mean?

Chapter Summary: 2 Chronicles 11

1  Rehoboam raising an army to subdue Israel, is forbidden by Shemaiah
5  He strengthens his kingdom with forts and provisions
13  The priests and Levites, and such as feared God, forsaken by Jeroboam,
17  strengthen the kingdom of Judah
18  The wives and children of Rehoboam

What do the individual words in 2 Chronicles 11:5 mean?

So dwelt Rehoboam in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah
וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב רְחַבְעָ֖ם בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיִּ֧בֶן עָרִ֛ים לְמָצ֖וֹר בִּיהוּדָֽה

וַיֵּ֥שֶׁב  So  dwelt 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
רְחַבְעָ֖ם  Rehoboam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: רְחַבְעָם  
Sense: son of Solomon and the st king of Judah after the split up of the kingdom of Israel.
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  in  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וַיִּ֧בֶן  and  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
עָרִ֛ים  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
לְמָצ֖וֹר  for  defense 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָצֹור 
Sense: siege-enclosure, siege, entrenchment, siege works.
בִּיהוּדָֽה  in  Judah 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.