| English Standard Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. | 1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. |
| 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: | 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: |
| 3“Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, | 3“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin |
| 4‘Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the LORD and returned and did not go against Jeroboam. | 4that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this word is from Me.’ ” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam. |
| 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. | 5Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah. |
| 6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, | 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, |
| 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. |
| 11He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. | 11He strengthened their fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine. |
| 12And he put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin. | 12He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him. |
| 13And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. | 13Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam. |
| 14For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the LORD, | 14For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD. |
| 15and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. | 15And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made. |
| 16And those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. | 16Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. |
| 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon. | 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon. |
| 18Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, | 18And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. |
| 19and she bore him sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. | 19She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. |
| 21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). | 21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. |
| 22And Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. | 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king. |
| 23And he dealt wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities, and he gave them abundant provisions and procured wives for them. | 23Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. |
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