New International Version NIV
Good News Translation GNT
1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered Judah and Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young men—to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.
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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.
2 But this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
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But the Lord told the prophet Shemaiah
3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,
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to give this message to King Rehoboam and to all the people of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin:
4 ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.’ ” So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.
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"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.
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah:
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Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and had fortifications built for the following cities of Judah and Benjamin:
6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
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Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam,
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Bethzur, Soco, Adullam,
8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
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Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
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Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
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Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron.
11 He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine.
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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,
12 He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.
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and also shields and spears. In this way he kept Judah and Benjamin under his control.
13 The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him.
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From all the territory of Israel priests and Levites came south to Judah.
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
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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.
15 when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.
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Rehoboam married Mahalath, whose father was Jerimoth son of David and whose mother was Abihail, the daughter of Eliab and granddaughter of Jesse.
19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
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They had three sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
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Later he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, and they had four sons: Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
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.
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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,
22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.
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and he favored her son Abijah over all his other children, choosing him as the one to succeed him as king.
23 He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.
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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.
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.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.