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.

Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom 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,

“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to 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 says the Lord: “You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” Therefore they obeyed the words of the Lord, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam. Rehoboam Fortifies the Cities

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

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

6 T hus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 B eth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

Beth Zur, Sochoh, 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 in Judah and 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 food, oil, and wine.

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

Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. Priests and Levites Move to Judah

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 from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him.

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 common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests 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.

Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which 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 the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord 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 made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. The Family of Rehoboam

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,

Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliah the son of Jesse.

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

And she bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.

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

After her he took Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she 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.

Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and 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 appointed Abijah the son of Maachah as chief, to be leader among his brothers; 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.

He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them.