| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. | 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. |
| 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, | 2But a message from the LORD came to Shemaiah, a man of God: |
| 3Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, | 3"Tell Solomon's son Rehoboam, king of Judah and all of Israel in Judah and Benjamin: |
| 4Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam. | 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. |
| 5And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. | 5Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem and built defensive fortification cities throughout Judah, |
| 6He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, | 6including Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam, | 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, |
| 8And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were all fortified cities throughout Judah and Benjamin. |
| 11And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. | 11He also strengthened the fortified cities, assigned officers to them, and stockpiled food, oil, and wine. |
| 12And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. | 12He also stockpiled shields and spears in every city and fortified them greatly to secure his rule over Judah and Benjamin. |
| 13And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. | 13The priests and descendants of Levi throughout Israel also supported him in their districts, |
| 14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: | 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. |
| 15And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. | 15Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places and to serve the satyrs and calves that he had made. |
| 16And after them 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. | 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, |
| 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. | 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. |
| 18And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, the daughter of David's son Jerimoth, along with Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab, |
| 19Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. | 19who bore him these sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20After this he married Absalom's daughter Maacah, who bore him Abijah, Attai, 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.) | 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.) |
| 22And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. | 22Later, Rehoboam appointed Abijah, his son from Maacah, as senior family leader among his brothers, since he intended to establish Abijah as king. |
| 23And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives. | 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. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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