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 Rehoboam came to Jerusalem; and he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men apt for war, to fight against Israel, that he might 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 Jehovah 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,

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

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 saith Jehovah: Go not up, nor fight with your brethren; return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. And they hearkened to the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

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

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

6 T hus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 B eth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

and Beth-zur, and Soco, 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 in Benjamin.

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

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

And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and of oil and wine;

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

and in every several city, targets and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.

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 that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their districts;

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 off from exercising the priesthood to Jehovah;

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 ordained for himself priests for the high places, and for the he-goats and for the calves that 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, those out of all the tribes of Israel that set their heart to seek Jehovah the God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to Jehovah 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

And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years; for during three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

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,

And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as wife, Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

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

And she bore him children: Jeush, and Shemariah, 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 Maachah the daughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, and Attai, and 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 Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he begot 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 established Abijah the son of Maachah at the head, to be ruler among his brethren; for 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 wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities; and he gave them food in abundance. And he desired a multitude of wives.