13
And the priests and the Levites that
were in all Israel gathered unto him out of all their borders.
14
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD.
15
And he ordained himself priests for the high places and for the demons and for the calves which he had made.
16
And from 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.
17
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, strong for three years because they walked three years in the way of David and of Solomon.
18
And Rehoboam took Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, to wife,
and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse;
19
who bore him sons: Jeush and Shamariah and Zaham.
20
And after her he took Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah and Attai and Ziza and Shelomith.
21
But Rehoboam loved Maachah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and his concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines and begat twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.)
22
And Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maachah, as head and prince among his brethren, for
he thought to make him king.
23
And he caused him to be instructed and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. And he desired many wives.