^{1 Ref} And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and got together the men of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand of his best fighting-men, to make war against Israel and get the kingdom back for Rehoboam.

^{2 Ref} But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,

^{3 Ref} Say to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

^{4 Ref} The Lord has said, You are not to go to war against your brothers: let every man go back to his house, for this thing is my purpose. So they gave ear to the words of the Lord and were turned back from fighting against Jeroboam.

^{5 Ref} Now Rehoboam kept in Jerusalem, building walled towns in Judah.

^{6 Ref} He was the builder of Beth-lehem and Etam and Tekoa

^{7 Ref} And Beth-zur and Soco and Adullam

^{8 Ref} And Gath and Mareshah and Ziph

^{9 Ref} And Adoraim and Lachish and Azekah

^{10 Ref} And Zorah and Aijalon and Hebron, walled towns in Judah and Benjamin.

^{11 Ref} And he made the walled towns strong, and he put captains in them and stores of food, oil, and wine.

^{12 Ref} And in every town he put stores of body-covers and spears, and made them very strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.

¹³ And the priests and Levites who were in all Israel came together to him from every part of their country.

^{14 Ref} For the Levites gave up their living-places and their property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons had sent them away, not letting them be priests to the Lord;

^{15 Ref} And he himself made priests for the high places, and for the images of he-goats and oxen which he had made.

^{16 Ref} And after them, from all the tribes of Israel, all those whose hearts were fixed and true to the Lord, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to make offerings to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

^{17 Ref} So they went on increasing the power of the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, strong for three years; and for three years they went in the ways of David and Solomon.

^{18 Ref} And Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse;

¹⁹ And she had sons by him, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

^{20 Ref} And after her he took Maacah, the daughter of Absalom; and she had Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith by him.

^{21 Ref} Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, was dearer to Rehoboam than all his wives and his servant-wives: (for he had eighteen wives and sixty servant-wives, and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)

^{22 Ref} Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maacah, chief and ruler among his brothers, for it was his purpose to make him king.

^{23 Ref} And in his wisdom he had his sons stationed in every walled town through all the lands of Judah and Benjamin; and he gave them a great store of food, and took wives for them.

^{1 Ref} 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 Ref} And a word of Jehovah is unto Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,

^{3 Ref} `Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

^{4 Ref} 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 Ref} And Rehoboam dwelleth in Jerusalem, and buildeth cities for a bulwark in Judah,

^{6 Ref} yea, he buildeth Beth-Lehem and Etam, and Tekoa,

^{7 Ref} and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,

^{8 Ref} and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

^{9 Ref} and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

^{10 Ref} and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that `are' in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.

^{11 Ref} And he strengtheneth the bulwarks, and putteth in them leaders, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,

^{12 Ref} and in every city and city targets and spears, and strengtheneth them very greatly; and he hath Judah and Benjamin.

¹³ And the priests, and the Levites, that `are' in all Israel, have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,

^{14 Ref} 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 Ref} and he establisheth to him priests for high places, and for goats, and for calves, that he made --

^{16 Ref} 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 Ref} 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 Ref} And Rehoboam taketh to him a wife, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, `and' Abigail daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse.

¹⁹ And she beareth to him sons, Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.

^{20 Ref} And after her he hath taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she beareth to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

^{21 Ref} 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 Ref} And Rehoboam appointeth for head Abijah son of Maachah, for leader among his brethren, for to cause him to reign.

^{23 Ref} 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.

^{1 Ref} And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

^{2 Ref} But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

^{3 Ref} Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

^{4 Ref} Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

^{5 Ref} And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

^{6 Ref} He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

^{7 Ref} And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

^{8 Ref} And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

^{9 Ref} And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

^{10 Ref} And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

^{11 Ref} And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

^{12 Ref} And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

¹³ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

^{14 Ref} For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

^{15 Ref} And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

^{16 Ref} And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.

^{17 Ref} So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

^{18 Ref} And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

¹⁹ Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

^{20 Ref} And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

^{21 Ref} And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)

^{22 Ref} And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

^{23 Ref} And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.