1And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem , he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men , which were warriors , to fight against Israel , that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam . 2But the word of the LORD 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 the LORD , Ye shall not go up , nor fight against your brethren : return every man to his house : for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD , 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 even Beth-lehem , and Etam , and Tekoa , 7And Beth-zur , and Shoco , 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 fenced cities . 11And he fortified the strong holds , and put captains in them, and store of victual , and of oil and wine . 12And in every several city he put shields and spears , and made them exceeding strong , having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
Judah's Strengthening
13And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts . 14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession , and came to Judah and Jerusalem : for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD : 15And he ordained him priests for the high places , and for the devils , 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 the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem , to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers . 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah , and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong , three years : for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon .
The Role of the Levites
18And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife , and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse ; 19Which bare him children ; Jeush , and Shamariah , and Zaham . 20And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom ; which bare him Abijah , and Attai , and Ziza , and Shelomith . 21And Rehoboam loved Maachah 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 made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief , to be ruler among his brethren : for he thought to make him king . 23And he dealt wisely , and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin , unto every fenced city : and he gave them victual in abundance . And he desired many wives .