| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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 mustered Judah and Benjamin--a hundred and eighty thousand able young men--to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam. |
| 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: | 2But this 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 and to all Israel 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. | 4This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.'" So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam. |
| 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah. | 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah: |
| 6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, | 6Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, | 7Beth Zur, Soko, 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. These were 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 defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive 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 all the cities, and made 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 districts throughout Israel sided with him. |
| 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, | 14The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and came 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. | 15when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat 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 set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, 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. | 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, following the ways of David and Solomon during this time. |
| 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, 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 him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. |
| 20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20Then he married Maakah daughter of Absalom, who 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 Maakah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, 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 Maakah as crown prince among his brothers, in order 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, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took 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 International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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