1 A nd when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled of the house of Judah and Benjamin 180, 000 chosen warriors to fight against Israel to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

And Rehoboam cometh in to Jerusalem, and assembleth the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight with Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 B ut the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

3 S ay to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

`Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

4 T hus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight against your brethren. Return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me. And they obeyed the Lord and returned from going against Jeroboam.

Thus said Jehovah, Ye do not go up nor fight with your brethren, turn back each to his house, for from Me hath this thing been;' and they hear the words of Jehovah, and turn back from going against Jeroboam.

5 R ehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.

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

6 H e built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 B eth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,

8 G ath, Mareshah, Ziph,

and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 A doraim, Lachish, Azekah,

and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 Z orah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

11 H e fortified the strongholds and put captains in them, with stores of food, oil, and vintage fruits.

And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,

12 A nd in each city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

and in every city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.

13 A nd the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel came over to Rehoboam from wherever they lived.

And the priests, and the Levites, that in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

14 F or the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from executing the priest’s office to the Lord.

for the Levites have left their suburbs and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests to Jehovah,

15 A nd he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the he-goats, and calves he had made.

and he establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he made --

16 A nd after them out of all the tribes of Israel there came to Jerusalem those who set their hearts to seek and inquire of the Lord, the God of Israel, to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

and after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those giving their heart to seek Jehovah, God of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah, God of their father.

17 S o they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and upheld Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years; for they walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years.

And they strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

18 R ehoboam took as wife Mahalath, whose father was Jerimoth son of David; her mother was Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

And Rehoboam taketh to him a wife, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, Abigail daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

19 S he bore him sons: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.

And she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.

20 A nd after her he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 A nd Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines—for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

And Rehoboam loveth Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines -- for eighteen wives he hath taken, and sixty concubines -- and he begetteth twenty and eight sons, and sixty daughters.

22 A nd Rehoboam made Abijah son of Maacah the chief prince among his brethren, for he intended to make him king.

And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign.

23 A nd he dealt understandingly and dispersed his children throughout all Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city. He gave them abundant supplies, and he sought many wives for them.

And he hath understanding, and spreadeth out of all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and giveth to them provision in abundance; and he asketh a multitude of wives.