1And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem , he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin , a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men , that were warriors , to fight against Israel , to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam . 2But the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah the man of God , saying , 3Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon , king of Judah , and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin , saying, 4Thus saith Jehovah , Ye shall not go up , nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house ; for this thing is of me . So they hearkened unto the words of Jehovah , and returned from going against Jeroboam . 5And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem , and built cities for defence in Judah .
The Division of the Kingdom
6He built Beth-lehem , and Etam , and Tekoa , 7And Beth-zur , and Soco , and Adullam , 8and Gath , and Mareshah , and Ziph , 9and Adoraim, and Lachish , and Azekah , 10and Zorah , and Aijalon, and Hebron , which are in Judah and in Benjamin , fortified cities . 11And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them , and stores of victuals, and oil and wine . 12And in every city he put shields and spears , and made them exceeding strong . And Judah and Benjamin belonged to him .
Judah's Strengthening
13And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their border . 14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem : for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off , that they should not execute the priest ’s office unto Jehovah ; 15and he appointed him priests for the high places , and for the he-goats, and for the calves which he had made . 16And after them , out of all the tribes of Israel , such as set their hearts to seek Jehovah , the God of Israel , came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto Jehovah , the God of their fathers. 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah , and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong , three years ; for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon .
The Role of the Levites
18And Rehoboam took him a wife, Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David , and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse ; 19and she bare him sons : Jeush , and Shemariah , and Zaham . 20And after her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom; and she bare him Abijah, and Attai , and Ziza , and Shelomith . 21And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines ( for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines , and begat twenty and eight sons and threescore daughters ). 22And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah to be chief , even the prince among his brethren; for he was minded to make him king . 23And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin , unto every fortified city : and he gave them victuals in abundance . And he sought for them many wives.