1 W hen Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

Now 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.

2 B ut Yahweh’s word 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 ‘ Yahweh says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Return every man to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to Yahweh’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

‘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.

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

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

6 H e built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 B eth Zur, and Soco, 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, fortified cities.

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

11 H e fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine.

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

12 H e put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceeding strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

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

13 T he priests and the Levites who were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border.

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

14 F or the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to Yahweh;

For 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.

15 a nd he appointed him priests for the high places, and for the male goats, and for the calves which he had made.

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

16 A fter them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers.

Those 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.

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

They 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

18 R ehoboam took him 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 as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse,

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

and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.

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

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

21 R ehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

Rehoboam 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.

22 R ehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers; for he intended to make him king.

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

23 H e dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. He sought for them many wives.

He 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.