| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 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. | 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: |
| 3"Speak to 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: |
| 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. | 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 built cities for defense in Judah. | 5Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities in Judah. |
| 6Thus he 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, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. | 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. |
| 11He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers 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. |
| 12He put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. 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. |
| 13Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts. | 13The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam, |
| 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. | 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. |
| 15He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs 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. |
| 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. | 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 supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. | 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. |
| 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, | 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, and she 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 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. | 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. |
| 22Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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