The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
12 He installed arms - large shields and spears - in all the forts, making them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were secure for the time.
12
He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.
13 The priests and Levites from all over Israel came and made themselves available to Rehoboam.
13
The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him.
14 The Levites left their pastures and properties and moved to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had dismissed them from the priesthood of God
14
The 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
15 and replaced them with his own priests to preside over the worship centers at which he had installed goat and calf demon-idols.
15
when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.
16 Everyone from all the tribes of Israel who determined to seek the God of Israel migrated with the priests and Levites to Jerusalem to worship there, sacrificing to the God of their ancestors.
16
Those 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.
17 That gave a tremendous boost to the kingdom of Judah. They stuck with Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, loyal to the ways of David and Solomon for this period.
17
They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time.
18 Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and Abihail daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.
18
Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.
19 Mahalath bore him Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
19
She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
20 Then he married Maacah, Absalom's daughter, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
20
Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
21 Maacah was Rehoboam's favorite wife; he loved her more than all his other wives and concubines put together (and he had a lot - eighteen wives and sixty concubines who produced twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters!).
21
Rehoboam 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.
22 Rehoboam designated Abijah son of Maacah as the "first son" and leader of the brothers - he intended to make him the next king.
22
Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.