Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 When King Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he called together 180,000 of the best soldiers from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. He intended to go to war and restore his control over the northern tribes of Israel.
1
When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam.
2 But the Lord told the prophet Shemaiah
2
But the LORD’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
3 to give this message to King Rehoboam and to all the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin:
3
“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4 "Do not attack your own relatives. Go home, all of you. What has happened is my will." They obeyed the Lord's command and did not go to fight Jeroboam.
4
‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and had fortifications built for the following cities of Judah and Benjamin:
5
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.
6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
6
He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Bethzur, Soco, Adullam,
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Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
8
Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
9
Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron.
10
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
11 He had them strongly fortified and appointed a commander for each of them, and in each one he placed supplies of food, olive oil, and wine,
11
He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, oil and wine.
12 and also shields and spears. In this way he kept Judah and Benjamin under his control.
12
He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13 From all the territory of Israel priests and Levites came south to Judah.
13
The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him out of all their territory.
14 The Levites abandoned their pastures and other land and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because King Jeroboam of Israel and his successors would not let them serve as priests of the Lord.
14
For the Levites left their pasture lands and their possessions, and came to Judah and Jerusalem; for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office to the LORD.
15 Jeroboam appointed priests of his own to serve at the pagan places of worship and to worship demons and the idols he made in the form of bull-calves.
15
He himself appointed priests for the high places, for the male goat and calf idols which he had made.
16 From all the tribes of Israel people who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, so that they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
16
After them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those who set their hearts to seek the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
17 This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon and lived as they had under the rule of King David and King Solomon.
17
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon.
18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, whose father was Jerimoth son of David and whose mother was Abihail, the daughter of Eliab and granddaughter of Jesse.
18
Rehoboam took a wife for himself, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
19 They had three sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
19
She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Later he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, and they had four sons: Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
20
After her, he took Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom; and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 In all, Rehoboam had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. Of all his wives and concubines he loved Maacah best,
21
Rehoboam loved Maacah the granddaughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 and he favored her son Abijah over all his other children, choosing him as the one to succeed him as king.
22
Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief, the prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
23 Rehoboam wisely assigned responsibilities to his sons and stationed them throughout Judah and Benjamin in the fortified cities. He provided generously for them and also secured many wives for them.
23
He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city. He gave them food in abundance; and he sought many wives for them.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.