1 Nowwhen Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosenmenwho were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 But the word of theLordcameto 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,
4 ‘Thus says theLord: “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 theLord, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Fortifies the Cities
5 So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
6 And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Beth Zur, Sochoh, Adullam,
8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities.
11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine.
12 Also in every cityheputshields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
Priests and Levites Move to Judah
13 And from all their territories the priests and the Levites whowerein all Israel took their stand with him.
14 For the Levites lefttheir common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, forJeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to theLord.
15 Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, forthe demons, andthe calf idols which he had made.
16 And aftertheLevitesleft,those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek theLordGod of Israel,came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to theLordGod of their fathers.
17 So theystrengthened 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 Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David,andofAbihail the daughter ofEliah the son of Jesse.
19 And she bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 After her he tookMaachah the granddaughter ofAbsalom; and she bore himAbijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all hiswives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 And RehoboamappointedAbijah the son of Maachah as chief,tobeleader among his brothers; for heintendedto make him king.
23 He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to everyfortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wivesforthem.