(1 Kings 12:20–24)
1
And Rehoboam comes to Jerusalem, and assembles the house of Judah and Benjamin—one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors—to fight with Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2
And a word of YHWH is to Shemaiah, a man of God, saying,
3
“Speak to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
4
Thus said YHWH: You do not go up nor fight with your brothers! Let each return to his house, for this thing has been from Me”; and they hear the words of YHWH, and turn back from going against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Fortifies Judah
5
And Rehoboam dwells in Jerusalem, and builds cities for a bulwark in Judah,
6
indeed, he builds Beth-Lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,
7
and Beth-Zur, and Shocho, and Adullam,
8
and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,
9
and Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,
10
and Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin, cities of bulwarks.
11
And he strengthens the bulwarks, and puts leaders in them, and treasures of food, and oil, and wine,
12
and in each and every city [he puts] bucklers and spears, and strengthens them very greatly; and he has Judah and Benjamin.
Jeroboam Forsakes the Priests and Levites
13
And the priests and the Levites that [are] in all Israel have stationed themselves by him, out of all their border,
14
for the Levites have left their outskirts and their possession, and they come to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons have cast them off from acting as priests for YHWH,
15
and he establishes for himself priests for high places, and for goat [idols] and for calf [idols] that he made.
16
And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, those giving their heart to seek YHWH, God of Israel, have come to Jerusalem to sacrifice to YHWH, God of their father.
17
And they strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
Rehoboam’s Family
18
And Rehoboam takes a wife for himself, Mahalath, child of Jerimoth son of David, [and of] Abigail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.
19
And she bears sons to him: Jeush, and Shamaria, and Zaham.
20
And after her he has taken Maachah daughter of Absalom, and she bears to him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.
21
And Rehoboam loves Maachah daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines—for he has taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines—and he begets twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22
And Rehoboam appoints Abijah son of Maachah for head, for leader among his brothers, for to cause him to reign.
23
And he has understanding, and disperses from all his sons to all lands of Judah and Benjamin, to all cities of the bulwarks, and gives provision in abundance to them; and he asks for a multitude of wives [for them].
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