1 ¶ When Rehoboam got to Jerusalem, he gathered from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might make himself king of all Israel again.

2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

3 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

4 Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, or fight against your brethren: every man return to his house: for this thing is done by me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 And Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

6 He even built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

7 And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and of oil and wine.

12 And in each city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

13 ¶ And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel came over to him from wherever they lived.

14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had barred them from serving the LORD as priests:

15 And he appointed his own priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves that he had made.

16 And after them from every tribe of Israel those who had determined to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah for three years, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong: for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

18 And Rehoboam married Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

19 Who bore him sons; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

20 And after her he married Maachah the daughter of Absalom; who bore him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and sixty concubines; and fathered twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters.)

22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief prince among his brethren: for he planned to make him king.

23 And he wisely placed some of his sons in all the different parts of Judah and Benjamin, in every fortified city: and he gave them plenty of food. And he sought many wives for them.