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 this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God:3‘Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,4“This 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.
Rehoboam fortifies Judah
5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defence in Judah:6Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,7Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam,8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,10Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.11He strengthened their defences and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine.12He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.13The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him.14The Levites even abandoned their pasture-lands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the Lord15when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.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.17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time.
Rehoboam’s family
18Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.20Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.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.22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.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.
2 Chronicles 11
English Standard Version
Rehoboam Secures His Kingdom
1When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. (1Ki 12:21)2But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God: (2Ch 12:5; 2Ch 12:15)3“Say to Rehoboam the 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 relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned and did not go against Jeroboam. (2Ch 28:8; 2Ch 28:11)5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. (2Ch 8:5; 2Ch 11:23; 2Ch 12:4; 2Ch 14:6; 2Ch 17:2; 2Ch 17:19; 2Ch 21:3)6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, (2Ch 14:9)9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin.11He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine.12And he put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
Priests and Levites Come to Jerusalem
13And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived.14For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the Lord, (Nu 35:2; 2Ch 13:9)15and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. (1Ki 12:28; 1Ki 12:31; 1Ki 13:33)16And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. (2Ch 15:9)17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon. (2Ch 12:1)
Rehoboam’s Family
18Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, (1Sa 16:6; 1Sa 17:13; 1Sa 17:28; 1Ch 27:18)19and she bore him sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. (1Ki 14:31; 1Ki 15:2)21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).22And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. (De 21:15; 2Ch 11:20)23And he dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities, and he gave them abundant provisions and procured wives for them.[1]