| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. | 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. |
| 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, | 2But this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: |
| 3“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, | 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, |
| 4‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall not go up or fight against your brethren! Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me.” ’ ” Therefore they obeyed the words of the LORD, and turned back from attacking Jeroboam. | 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. |
| 5So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. | 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: |
| 6And he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7Beth Zur, Sochoh, Adullam, | 7Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam, |
| 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities. | 10Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. |
| 11And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. | 11He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. |
| 12Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. | 12He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. |
| 13And from all their territories the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him. | 13The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. |
| 14For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the LORD. | 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 |
| 15Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made. | 15when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made. |
| 16And after the Levites left, those from all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heart to seek the LORD God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. | 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. |
| 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. | 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time. |
| 18Then Rehoboam took for himself as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliah the son of Jesse. | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. |
| 19And she bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham. | 19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. |
| 20After her he took Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. |
| 21Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. | 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. |
| 22And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maachah as chief, to be leader among his brothers; for he intended to make him king. | 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king. |
| 23He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them. | 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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