| English Standard Version | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 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. | 1Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to 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, saying, |
| 3“Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, | 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 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'Thus says the LORD, "You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me."'" So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam. |
| 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. | 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah. |
| 6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6Thus he built 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 also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores 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 put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin. |
| 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 the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts. |
| 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 pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to 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. | 15He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which 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 all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD 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. | 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for 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, | 18Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse, |
| 19and she bore him sons, Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. | 19and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. |
| 20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, and she bore 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 the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered 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 the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended 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. | 23He acted wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he 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. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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