Rehoboam's Kingdom

1 When Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he gathered together 180,000 specially chosen soldiers from the households of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

1 (A)Now 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.

1 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.

1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem,(A) he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 choice warriors—to fight against Israel to restore the reign to Rehoboam.

1 Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors to fight against [the ten tribes of] Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 But a message from the LORD came to Shemaiah, a man of God:

2 But the word of the Lord came to (B)Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah,(B) the man of God:

2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

3 "Tell Solomon's son Rehoboam, king of Judah and all of 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,

3 Speak 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:

3 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

4 "This is what the LORD says: "You are not to fight or even to approach your relatives in battle. Every soldier is to return to his own home, for this development comes from me."'" So they listened to what the LORD had to say and called off their attack on Jeroboam.

4 ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not go up or fight against (C)your (a)relatives; return every man to his house, (D)for this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of the Lord and returned from going against Jeroboam.

4 Thus 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.(C) Each of you must return home, for this incident has come from Me.’”(D)So they listened to what the Lord said and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

4 ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brothers (countrymen); return, every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” And they listened to and obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

Rehoboam Fortifies Cities In Judah

5 Rehoboam continued to live in Jerusalem and built defensive fortification cities throughout Judah,

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and (E)built cities for defense in Judah.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

5 Rehoboam stayed in Jerusalem, and he fortified cities(a)(E) in Judah.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built [fortified] cities for defense in Judah.

6 including Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

6 Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

6 He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

6 He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

6 He (a)built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

7 And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were all fortified cities throughout Judah and Benjamin.

10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.

10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

11 He also strengthened the fortified cities, assigned officers to them, and stockpiled food, oil, and wine.

11 He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine.

11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

11 He strengthened their fortifications and put leaders in them with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

11 He strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them, with supplies of food, [olive] oil, and wine.

12 He also stockpiled shields and spears in every city and fortified them greatly to secure his rule over Judah and Benjamin.

12 He put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

12 He also put large shields and spears in each and every city to make them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.

12 And in each city he put [large] shields and spears, and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

The Priests And Levites Come To Jerusalem

13 The priests and descendants of Levi throughout Israel also supported him in their districts,

13 Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.

13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

13 The priests and Levites from all their regions throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam,

13 Further, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with Rehoboam from all their districts.

14 because the descendants of Levi left their pasture lands and their property to live in Judah and Jerusalem, since Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from participating in priestly services to the LORD.

14 For (F)the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for (G)Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the Lord.

14 For 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:

14 for the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions(F) and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons refused to let them serve as priests of Yahweh.(G)

14 For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the Lord.

15 Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places and to serve the satyrs and calves that he had made.

15 (H)He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made.

15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

15 Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places,(H) the goat-demons,(I) and the golden calves he had made.(J)

15 Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places, for the satyrs (goat demons) and calves (idols) which he had made.(A)

16 As a result, anyone from all of the tribes of Israel who was determined to seek the LORD God of Israel followed the descendants of Levi to Jerusalem so they could sacrifice to the LORD God of their ancestors,

16 (I)Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord God of Israel (b)followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

16 And 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.

16 Those 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.

16 Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord God of Israel followed (b)them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers.

17 and they continued to strengthen the kingdom of Judah, supporting Solomon's son Rehoboam for three years, by living the way David and Solomon did for three years.

17 (J)They 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.

17 So 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.

17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years,(K) because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

17 So they 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.

Rehoboam's Harem And Family

18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, the daughter of David's son Jerimoth, along with Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab,

18 Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of (K)Eliab the son of Jesse,

18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;

18 Rehoboam married Mahalath, daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.(L)

18 Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David, and of Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.

19 who bore him these sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.

19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

19 She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

20 After this he married Absalom's daughter Maacah, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

20 After her he took (L)Maacah the daughter of (c)Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.

20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

20 After her, he married Maacah daughter(b)(M) of Absalom. She bore Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith to him.

20 After her he took Maacah the daughter (granddaughter) of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

21 Rehoboam loved Absalom's daughter Maacah more than he did all of his wives and mistresses. (He married eighteen wives and 60 concubines, fathering 28 sons and 60 daughters.)

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For (M)he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

21 And 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.)

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter(c) of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. He acquired 18 wives(N) and 60 concubines and was the father of 28 sons and 60 daughters.

21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter (granddaughter) of Absalom more than all his wives and (c)concubines—for he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

22 Later, Rehoboam appointed Abijah, his son from Maacah, as senior family leader among his brothers, since he intended to establish Abijah as king.

22 (N)Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.

22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, leader among his brothers, intending to make him king.(O)

22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah the chief leader among his brothers, because he intended to make him king.

23 Rehoboam was wise to distribute some of his children throughout all of the territories of Judah and Benjamin, placing them in all of the fortified cities. He allotted them abundant supplies of food and sought many wives for them.

23 He acted wisely and distributed (d)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.

23 And 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.

23 Rehoboam 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.

23 He acted wisely and distributed some of his sons throughout the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions, and he sought many wives for them.

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