| Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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. | 1When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself. |
| 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God: | 2But the LORD said to Shemaiah, the man of God, |
| 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people: | 3“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin: |
| 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. | 4‘This is what the LORD says: Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the LORD and did not fight against Jeroboam. Rehoboam Fortifies Judah |
| 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities in Judah. | 5Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the defense of Judah. |
| 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, | 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, |
| 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin. |
| 11He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine. | 11Rehoboam strengthened their defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored supplies of food, olive oil, and wine. |
| 12He also put large shields and spears in each and every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. | 12He also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control. |
| 13The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, | 13But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. |
| 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. | 14The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the LORD as priests. |
| 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves he had made. | 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made. |
| 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. | 16From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. |
| 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. | 17This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon, for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon. Rehoboam’s Family |
| 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. | 18Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. |
| 19She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. | 19Mahalath had three sons—Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him. | 20Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. |
| 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. | 21Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and they gave birth to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. |
| 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, leader among his brothers, intending to make him king. | 22Rehoboam appointed Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king. |
| 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. | 23Rehoboam also wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons and stationed some of them in the fortified towns throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin. He provided them with generous provisions, and he found many wives for them. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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