| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered Judah and Benjamin--a hundred and eighty thousand able young men--to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam. | 1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he summoned 180,000 skilled warriors from Judah and Benjamin to attack Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. |
| 2But this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: | 2But the LORD told Shemaiah the prophet, |
| 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, | 3"Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, |
| 4This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'" So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam. | 4The LORD says this: "Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen."'" They obeyed the LORD and called off the attack against Jeroboam. |
| 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: | 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah: |
| 6Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam, | 7Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, |
| 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. |
| 11He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. | 11He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine. |
| 12He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. | 12In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him. |
| 13The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. | 13The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided. |
| 14The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD | 14The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the LORD's priests. |
| 15when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made. | 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the worship centers and to lead in the worship of the goat idols and calf idols he had made. |
| 16Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. | 16Those among all the Israelite tribes who were determined to worship the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their ancestors. |
| 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time. | 17They supported the kingdom of Judah and were loyal to Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years; they followed the edicts of David and Solomon for three years. |
| 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. |
| 19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. | 19She bore him sons named Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. | 20He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. |
| 21Rehoboam loved Maakah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. | 21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines. He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines; he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. |
| 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king. | 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as the leader over his brothers, for he intended to name him his successor. |
| 23He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them. | 23He wisely placed some of his many sons throughout the regions of Judah and Benjamin in the various fortified cities. He supplied them with abundant provisions and acquired many wives for them. |
|
