| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard 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 choice warriors--to fight against Israel to restore the reign 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"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people: |
| 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. | 4 'This is what the LORD says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this incident has come from Me.'" So they listened to what the LORD said and turned back from going against Jeroboam. |
| 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. | 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities 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, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. |
| 11He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. | 11He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders 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 large shields and spears in each and every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. |
| 13And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. | 13The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand 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 refused to let them serve as priests of Yahweh. |
| 15and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. | 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves 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 determined in their hearts to seek Yahweh their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. |
| 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 in the way of David and Solomon for three years. |
| 18Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, | 18Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail 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. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him. |
| 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. He acquired 18 wives and 60 concubines and was the father of 28 sons and 60 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, leader 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 showed discernment by dispersing some of his sons to all the regions of Judah and Benjamin and to all the fortified cities. He gave them plenty of provisions and sought many wives for them. |
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