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.

When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered together the family of Judah and Benjamin. There were 180, 000 chosen men of war gathered to fight against Israel to make Rehoboam their king again.

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 speak to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin. Tell them,

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.

‘This is what the Lord says, “You must not go up to fight against your brothers. Every man return to his house. For I have made this happen.”’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned. They did not go against Jeroboam. Rehoboam Makes the Cities Strong

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

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judah.

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

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. These are strong cities with walls, 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 made the strong places stronger. He put leaders 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.

And he put battle-coverings and spears in every city and made them very strong. So he kept Judah and Benjamin. Religious Leaders and Levites Come to Judah

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

The religious leaders and the Levites who were in all Israel joined with Rehoboam from all places where they lived.

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;

The Levites left their fields and land and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had stopped them from working as religious leaders for 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 chose religious leaders of his own for the high places, for the goat-gods 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 families of Israel who set their hearts on following the Lord God of Israel came after them to Jerusalem. They came to give gifts in worship 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 made the nation of Judah strong, and gave strength to 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 married Mahalath. She was 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.

She gave birth to Rehoboam’s 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 married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She gave birth to his sons: 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 women who acted as his wives. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty women who acted as his wives. He was the father of 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 chose Maacah’s son Abijah to be the head leader among his brothers. For he wanted 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.

And he acted with wisdom. He spread some of his sons to every strong city in all the lands of Judah and Benjamin. He gave them much food, and found many wives for them.