1 ¶ And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered together the family of Judah and Benjamin. There were 180, 000 chosen men of war gathered to fight against Israel to make Rehoboam their king again.

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

But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

3 S peak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah. And speak to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin. Tell them,

4 T hus hath the LORD said, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren; return each man to his house; for this thing is done of me. And they heard the word of the LORD and returned and did not go against Jeroboam.

‘This is what the Lord says, “You must not go up to fight against your brothers. Every man return to his house. For I have made this happen.”’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned. They did not go against Jeroboam. Rehoboam Makes the Cities Strong

5 A nd Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities for defence in Judah.

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judah.

6 H e built Bethlehem and Etam and Tekoa

He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 a nd Bethzur and Shoco and Adullam

Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 a nd Gath and Mareshah and Ziph

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 a nd Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

10 a nd Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fenced cities.

Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These are strong cities with walls, in Judah and in Benjamin.

11 A nd he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them and provisions and wine and oil;

He made the strong places stronger. He put leaders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine.

12 a nd in all the cities he put shields and spears. He fortified them greatly, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

And he put battle-coverings and spears in every city and made them very strong. So he kept Judah and Benjamin. Religious Leaders and Levites Come to Judah

13 ¶ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel gathered unto him out of all their borders.

The religious leaders and the Levites who were in all Israel joined with Rehoboam from all places where they lived.

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 off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD.

The Levites left their fields and land and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had stopped them from working as religious leaders for the Lord.

15 A nd he ordained himself priests for the high places and for the demons and for the calves which he had made.

He chose religious leaders of his own for the high places, for the goat-gods and for the calves which he had made.

16 A nd from after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

Those from all the families of Israel who set their hearts on following the Lord God of Israel came after them to Jerusalem. They came to give gifts in worship to the Lord God of their fathers.

17 S o they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, strong for three years because they walked three years in the way of David and of Solomon.

They made the nation of Judah strong, and gave strength to Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years. For they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. Rehoboam’s Family

18 A nd Rehoboam took Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, to wife, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse;

Then Rehoboam married Mahalath. She was the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

19 w ho bore him sons: Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.

She gave birth to Rehoboam’s sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

After her he married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She gave birth to his sons: Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 B ut Rehoboam loved Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines and begat twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and women who acted as his wives. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty women who acted as his wives. He was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 A nd Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maachah, as head and prince among his brethren, for he thought to make him king.

Rehoboam chose Maacah’s son Abijah to be the head leader among his brothers. For he wanted to make him king.

23 A nd he caused him to be instructed and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. And he desired many wives.

And he acted with wisdom. He spread some of his sons to every strong city in all the lands of Judah and Benjamin. He gave them much food, and found many wives for them.