Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
The Message Bible MSG
1 And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.
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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 And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:
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At the same time the word of God came to Shemaiah, a holy man,
3 Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:
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"Tell this to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, along with all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin,
4 Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,
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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 And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.
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Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem but built up a defense system for Judah all around:
6 And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,
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in Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,
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Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
8 And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,
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Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,
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Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.
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Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron - a line of defense protecting Judah and Benjamin.
11 And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.
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He beefed up the fortifications, appointed commanders, and put in supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.
12 Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,
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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 And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,
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The priests and Levites from all over Israel came and made themselves available to Rehoboam.
14 Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.
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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 And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
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and replaced them with his own priests to preside over the worship centers at which he had installed goat and calf demon-idols.
16 Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.
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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 And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.
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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 And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.
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Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth, David's son, and Abihail daughter of Eliab, Jesse's son.
19 And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.
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Mahalath bore him Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.
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Then he married Maacah, Absalom's daughter, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he begot eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.
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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 But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,
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Rehoboam designated Abijah son of Maacah as the "first son" and leader of the brothers - he intended to make him the next king.
23 Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.
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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.
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Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.