| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he gathered together 180,000 specially chosen soldiers from the households of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. | 1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin--180,000 choice warriors--to fight against Israel to restore the reign to Rehoboam. |
| 2But a message from the LORD came to Shemaiah, a man of God: | 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God: |
| 3"Tell Solomon's son Rehoboam, king of Judah and all of Israel in Judah and Benjamin: | 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people: |
| 4This is what the LORD says: "You are not to fight or even to approach your relatives in battle. Every soldier is to return to his own home, for this development comes from me."'" So they listened to what the LORD had to say and called off their attack on Jeroboam. | 4 'This is what the LORD says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this incident has come from Me.'" So they listened to what the LORD said and turned back from going against Jeroboam. |
| 5Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem and built defensive fortification cities throughout Judah, | 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities in Judah. |
| 6including 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. These were all fortified cities throughout Judah and Benjamin. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. |
| 11He also strengthened the fortified cities, assigned officers to them, and stockpiled food, oil, and wine. | 11He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine. |
| 12He also stockpiled shields and spears in every city and fortified them greatly to secure his rule over Judah and Benjamin. | 12He also put large shields and spears in each and every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. |
| 13The priests and descendants of Levi throughout Israel also supported him in their districts, | 13The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, |
| 14because the descendants of Levi left their pasture lands and their property to live in Judah and Jerusalem, since Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from participating in priestly services to the LORD. | 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 Yahweh. |
| 15Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places and to serve the satyrs and calves that he had made. | 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves he had made. |
| 16As a result, anyone from all of the tribes of Israel who was determined to seek the LORD God of Israel followed the descendants of Levi to Jerusalem so they could sacrifice to the LORD God of their ancestors, | 16Those from every tribe of Israel who had determined in their hearts to seek Yahweh their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. |
| 17and they continued to strengthen the kingdom of Judah, supporting Solomon's son Rehoboam for three years, by living the way David and Solomon did for three years. | 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. |
| 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, the daughter of David's son Jerimoth, along with Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab, | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. |
| 19who bore him these sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. | 19She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20After this he married Absalom's daughter Maacah, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him. |
| 21Rehoboam loved Absalom's daughter Maacah more than he did all of his wives and mistresses. (He married eighteen wives and 60 concubines, fathering 28 sons and 60 daughters.) | 21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. He acquired 18 wives and 60 concubines and was the father of 28 sons and 60 daughters. |
| 22Later, Rehoboam appointed Abijah, his son from Maacah, as senior family leader among his brothers, since he intended to establish Abijah as king. | 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, leader among his brothers, intending to make him king. |
| 23Rehoboam was wise to distribute some his children throughout all of the territories of Judah and Benjamin, placing them in all of the fortified cities. He allotted them abundant supplies of food and sought many wives for them. | 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. |
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