| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again 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, saying, | 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, the man of God: |
| 3Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, | 3"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people: |
| 4Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going 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. |
| 5And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. | 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities in Judah. |
| 6He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, | 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, |
| 7And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam, | 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, |
| 8And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, | 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, |
| 9And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, | 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, |
| 10And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. |
| 11And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. | 11He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine. |
| 12And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. | 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 that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. | 13The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, |
| 14For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto 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 ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. | 15Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves he had made. |
| 16And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD 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. |
| 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked 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. |
| 18And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and 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. |
| 19Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. | 19She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. |
| 20And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. | 20After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him. |
| 21And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore 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 made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought 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 dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives. | 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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