1. When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180000 picked fighting men, to make war with Israel in order to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2. But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God:
3. "Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin:
4. Thus said the LORD: You shall not set out to make war on your kinsmen. Let every man return to his home, for this thing has been brought about by Me." They heeded the words of the LORD and refrained from marching against Jeroboam.
5. Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built fortified towns in Judah.
6. He built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7. and Beth-zur, and Soco, 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, as fortified towns.
11. He strengthened the fortified towns and put commanders in them, along with stores of food, oil, and wine,
12. and shields and spears in every town. He strengthened them exceedingly; thus Judah and Benjamin were his.
13. The priests and the Levites, from all their territories throughout Israel, presented themselves to him.
14. The Levites had left their pasturelands and their holdings and had set out for Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had prevented them from serving the LORD,
15. having appointed his own priests for the shrines, goat-demons, and calves which he had made.
16. From all the tribes of Israel, those intent on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.
17. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, for they followed the ways of David and Solomon for three years.
18. Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth son of David, and Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.
19. She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20. He then took Maacah daughter of Absalom; she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21. Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines -- for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22. Rehoboam designated Abijah son of Maacah as chief and leader among his brothers, for he intended him to be his successor.
23. He prudently distributed all his sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin and throughout the fortified towns; he provided them with abundant food, and he sought many wives for them.
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