| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 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. | 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 the LORD said 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 the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin: | 3"Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin, |
| 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 | 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 remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the defense of Judah. | 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah: |
| 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6Bethlehem, 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 became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. |
| 11Rehoboam strengthened their defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored 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 also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control. | 12In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him. |
| 13But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. | 13The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | 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 his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab. |
| 19Mahalath had three sons—Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. | 19She bore him sons named Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20He later married Maacah the daughter of Absalom. She bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. |
| 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. | 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 Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king. | 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as the leader over his brothers, for he intended to name him his successor. |
| 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. | 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. |
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