Rehoboam strengthens the kingdom of Judah but is forbidden to subdue Israel—Jeroboam leads the kingdom of Israel into idolatry—Rehoboam takes many wives and concubines.
And 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.2But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,3Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,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.
5And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.6He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,7And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,8And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,9And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,10And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.
11And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of 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.13And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.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:15And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which 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.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.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;19Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.
20And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.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.)22And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought 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.