New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 select troops—to fight against Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.
1
When Rehoboam got back to Jerusalem he called up the men of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 of their best soldiers, to go to war against Israel and recover the kingdom.
2 But the LORD said to Shemaiah, the man of God,
2
At the same time the word of God came to Shemaiah, a holy man,
3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin:
3
"Tell this to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, along with all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin,
4 ‘This is what the LORD says: Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the LORD and did not fight against Jeroboam.
4
This is God's word: Don't march out; don't fight against your brothers the Israelites. Go back home, every last one of you; I'm in charge here." And they did it; they did what God said and went home.
5 Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the defense of Judah.
5
Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem but built up a defense system for Judah all around:
6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
6
in Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
7
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. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin.
10
Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron - a line of defense protecting Judah and Benjamin.
11 Rehoboam strengthened their defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.
11
He beefed up the fortifications, appointed commanders, and put in supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.
12 He also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.
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.
13 But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam.
13
The priests and Levites from all over Israel came and made themselves available to Rehoboam.
14 The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the LORD as priests.
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
15 Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made.
15
and replaced them with his own priests to preside over the worship centers at which he had installed goat and calf demon-idols.
16 From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.
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.
17 This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon, for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.
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.
18 Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.
18
Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and Abihail daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.
19 Mahalath had three sons—Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
19
Mahalath bore him Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
20
Then he married Maacah, Absalom's daughter, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and they gave birth to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
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!).
22 Rehoboam appointed Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king.
22
Rehoboam designated Abijah son of Maacah as the "first son" and leader of the brothers - he intended to make him the next king.
23 Rehoboam also wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons and stationed some of them in the fortified towns throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin. He provided them with generous provisions, and he found many wives for them.
23
He was shrewd in deploying his sons in all the fortress cities that made up his defense system in Judah and Benjamin; he kept them happy with much food and many wives.