Shemaiah’s Prophecy
(1 Kings 12:20–24)

1And Rehoboam will come to Jerusalem, and he will convoke together the house of Judah and Benjamin a hundred and eighty thousand chosen, making war to fight with Israel, to turn back the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2And the word of Jehovah will be to Shemaiah a man of God, saying, 3Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4Thus said Jehovah, Ye shall not go up, and ye shall not war with your brethren: turn ye back each to his house: for from me was this word. And they will hear the words of Jehovah and turn back from going against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

5And Rehoboam will dwell in Jerusalem, and he will build cities for fortification in Judah. 6And he will build the house of bread, and the place of ravenous beasts, and the pitching of tents, 7And the house of the rock, and the branches, and the justice of the people, 8And the wine-press, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9And the two mounds, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10And Zorah, and Ajalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of fortifications. 11And he will strengthen the fortifications, and he will give in them leaders and treasures of food, and oil, and wine. 12And in every city and city, shields and spears, and he will strengthen them very greatly, and there will be to him Judah and Benjamin.

Jeroboam Forsakes the Priests and Levites

13And the priests and the Levites which were in all Israel stood forth to him from all their bound.

14For the Levites forsook their areas and their possession, and they will come to Judah and to Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons rejected them from being priest to Jehovah: 15And he will set up to him priests for the heights, for the wood-demons, and for the calves which he made. 16And after them from all the tribes of Israel those giving their heart to seek Jehovah God of Israel came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Jehovah the God of their fathers. 17And they will strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and make firm Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years: for they went in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Rehoboam’s Family

18And Rehoboam will take to him a wife, Mahalath, daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse; 19And she will bear to him sons, Jeush and Shemariah, and Zaham. 20And after her he took Maacah, daughter of Absalom; and she will bear to him Abijah and Attai, and Ziza and Shelomith. 21And Rehoboam will love Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; and he will beget twenty and eight sons, and sixty daughters. 22And Rehoboam will set up for head, Abijah son of Maacah for leader over his brethren: in order to make him king. 23And he will understand, and he will spread from all his sons to all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all the cities of fortifications: and he will give to them food for multitude. And he will ask for a multitude of wives.