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

`Speak unto Rehoboam 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 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 lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.

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

6 T hus he 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 in Benjamin.

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

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

And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures of food, and 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 city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath 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, that in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

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 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 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 establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he 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, those giving their heart to seek Jehovah, God of Israel, have come in to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah, God of their father.

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

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

And she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, 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 hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to 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 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 R ehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, 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 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 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.