1And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.

2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

3Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

4Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is from me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

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

6He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7And Beth-zur, and Soco, and Adullam,

8And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, fortified cities.

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

12And in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

Priests and Levites Move to Judah

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

14For the Levites left their pastures lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:

15And he ordained himself priests for the high places, and for the goat idols, and for the calf idols which he had made.

16And after that, 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.

17So 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.

Descendants of Rehoboam

18And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as his wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

19Who bore him children; Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

20And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; who bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21And 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.)

22And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

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