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When the people of Israel learned of Jeroboamâs return from Egypt, they called an assembly and made him king over all Israel. So only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the family of David.
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When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjaminâ180,000 select troopsâto fight against the men of Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.
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But God said to Shemaiah, the man of God,
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âSay to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,
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âThis is what the LORD says: Do not fight against your relatives, the Israelites. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!ââ So they obeyed the message of the LORD and went home, as the LORD had commanded.