Our Father Stops Rehoboam's War
Rehoboam musters an army to win the north back and is stopped by our Father's word: this came from me, go home. He fortifies Judah's cities instead, and priests and Levites driven out by Jeroboam's calf shrines come over to him, strengthening the kingdom three years.
11 1Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2But the word of our Father came to Shemaiah, the man of our Father, saying:
3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin: 4This is what our Father says: Don't go up or fight against your brothers. Go home, each of you—this came from me." So they obeyed the words of our Father and turned back from advancing against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Fortifies Judah
5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up cities for defense in Judah. 6He built Bethlehem, Etam, and Tekoa, 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11He strengthened the fortresses and put commanders in them, along with stores of food, oil, and wine. 12In every city he placed shields and spears, strengthening them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin remained his.
13The priests and the Levites who were throughout all Israel came to him from all their territory, 14for the Levites left their pasturelands and property, going to Judah and Jerusalem, since Jeroboam and his sons turned them away from serving as priests of our Father. 15He appointed his own priests for the high places, for the goat idols, and for the calf idols he had made. 16From every tribe of Israel, those who set their heart on seeking our Father, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to our Father, the God of their ancestors. 17They strengthened Judah's kingdom, supporting Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon three years.
Rehoboam's Family
18Rehoboam married Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. 19She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20After her, he married Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than his other wives and concubines, since he had eighteen wives, sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons, and sixty daughters. 22Rehoboam made Abijah, son of Maacah, chief leader among his brothers, intending to make him king. 23He acted wisely, spreading some of his sons through every district of Judah and Benjamin, to each fortified city, giving them abundant provisions and seeking many wives for them.
