1 And when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

2 But the word of Jehovah came to 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 Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers. Return every man to his house. For this thing is of me. So they hearkened to the words of Jehovah, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

6 He built 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, fortified cities.

11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and oil and wine.

12 And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

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

14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest's office to Jehovah.

15 And he appointed priests for him for the high places, and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made.

16 And after them, such as set their hearts to seek Jehovah, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem out of all the tribes of Israel to sacrifice to Jehovah, the God of their fathers.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.

18 And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

19 And she bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom. And she bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines. For he took eighteen wives, and thirty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and thirty daughters.

22 And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the ruler among his brothers. For he intended to make him king.

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. And he gave them provisions in abundance. And he sought for them many wives.