| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin--one hundred eighty thousand fit young soldiers--to fight against Israel to restore the reign to Rehoboam. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God: |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people: |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4'This is what the LORD says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers. Each of you return home, for this incident has come from me.'" So they listened to what the LORD said and turned back from going against Jeroboam. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities in Judah. |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine. |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12He also put large shields and spears in each and every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14for the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to let them serve as priests of the LORD. |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves he had made. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16Those from every tribe of Israel who had determined in their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years. |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. He acquired eighteen wives and sixty concubines and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, leader among his brothers, intending to make him king. |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23Rehoboam also showed discernment by dispersing some of his sons to all the regions of Judah and Benjamin and to all the fortified cities. He gave them plenty of provisions and sought many wives for them. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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