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1 And 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.
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2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
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3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
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4 Thus 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.
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5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.
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6 He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
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7 And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,
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8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
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9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
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10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.
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11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.
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12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
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13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.
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14 For 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:
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15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
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16 And 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.
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17 So 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.
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18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;
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19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
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20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
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21 And 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.)
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22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.
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23 And 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.
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- 1 Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
- 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
- 3 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
- 4 'Thus says the LORD, “You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”'” So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.
- 5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.
- 6 Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- 7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
- 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
- 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
- 10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
- 11 He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine.
- 12 He put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
- 13 Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.
- 14 For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD.
- 15 He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made.
- 16 Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.
- 17 They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
- 18 Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse,
- 19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
- 20 After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
- 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
- 22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
- 23 He acted wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he sought many wives for them.
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