1 N ow when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180, 000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

And 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.

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 “ Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

4 ‘ Thus says the Lord, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of the Lord and returned from going against Jeroboam.

Thus 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.

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

Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.

6 T hus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 B eth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 G ath, Mareshah, Ziph,

Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 A doraim, Lachish, Azekah,

Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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

Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

11 H e also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine.

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

12 H e put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

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

13 M oreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts. Jeroboam Appoints False Priests

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

14 F or the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the Lord.

For 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.

15 H e set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made.

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

16 T hose from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

And 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.

17 T hey strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. Rehoboam’s Family

So 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.

18 T hen Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse,

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

19 a nd she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.

She bore him sons: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.

20 A fter her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.

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

21 R ehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

And 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.

22 R ehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.

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

23 H e acted wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he sought many wives for them.

And 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.