[1] When Rehobo'am came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah, and
Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against
Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehobo'am. [2] But the word of the LORD
came to Shemai'ah the man of God: [3] "Say to Rehobo'am the son of Solomon
king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, [4] `Thus says the
LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your brethren. Return every man
to his home, for this thing is from me.'" So they hearkened to the word of
the LORD, and returned and did not go against Jerobo'am. [5] Rehobo'am
dwelt in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. [6] He built
Bethlehem, Etam, Teko'a, [7] Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, [8] Gath, Mare'shah,
Ziph, [9] Adora'im, Lachish, Aze'kah, [10] Zorah, Ai'jalon, and Hebron,
fortified cities which are in Judah and in Benjamin. [11] He made the
fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and
wine. [12] And he put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them
very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin. [13] And the priests and the
Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him from all places where they
lived. [14] For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and
came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jerobo'am and his sons cast them out
from serving as priests of the LORD, [15] and he appointed his own priests
for the high places, and for the satyrs, and for the calves which he had
made. [16] And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of
Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to
sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. [17] They strengthened the
kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehobo'am the son of
Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and
Solomon. [18] Rehobo'am took as wife Ma'halath the daughter of Jer'imoth
the son of David, and of Ab'ihail the daughter of Eli'ab the son of Jesse;
[19] and she bore him sons, Je'ush, Shemari'ah, and Zaham. [20] After her
he took Ma'acah the daughter of Ab'salom, who bore him Abi'jah, Attai,
Ziza, and Shelo'mith. [21] Rehobo'am loved Ma'acah the daughter of Ab'salom
above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty
concubines, and had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters); [22] and
Rehobo'am appointed Abi'jah the son of Ma'acah as chief prince among his
brothers, for he intended to make him king. [23] And he dealt wisely, and
distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and
Benjamin, in all the fortified cities; and he gave them abundant
provisions, and procured wives for them.
