1 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 But
the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 Speak
unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and
Benjamin, saying,
4 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 And
Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
6 He
built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7 And
Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,
8 And
Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
9 And
Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
10 And
Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced
cities.
11 And
he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual,
and of oil and wine.
12 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 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 And
he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the
calves which he had made.
16 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 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 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 And
after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and
Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 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 And
Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler
among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.
23 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.
