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. 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 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.

5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. 11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.*11.13 resorted…: Heb. presented themselves to him 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: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 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. 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.

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; 19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.*11.20 Maachah: she is also called Michaiah the daughter of Uriel 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.) 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. 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.*11.23 many wives: Heb. a multitude of wives

1 EN toe Rehábeam in Jerusalem kom, het hy die huis van Juda en Benjamin, honderd-en-tagtigduisend krygshaftige jongmanne, byeen laat kom om teen Israel oorlog te voer, om die koningskap vir Rehábeam terug te win.

2 Maar die woord van die Here het tot Semája, die man van God, gekom en gesê:

3 Spreek met Rehábeam, die seun van Salomo, die koning van Juda, en met die hele Israel in Juda en in Benjamin, en sê:

4 So spreek die Here: Julle mag nie optrek en teen julle broers oorlog voer nie; julle moet omdraai, elkeen na sy huis, want van My het hierdie saak gekom. Hulle het toe geluister na die woorde van die Here en omgedraai sonder om teen Jeróbeam op te trek.

5 EN Rehábeam het in Jerusalem gewoon en stede as vestings opgebou in Juda.

6 Hy het naamlik Betlehem opgebou, en Etam en Tekóa;

7 en Bet-Sur en Sogo en Adúllam;

8 en Gat en Marésa en Sif;

9 en Adoráim en Lagis en Aséka;

10 en Sórea en Ájalon en Hebron, versterkte stede in Juda en in Benjamin.

11 En hy het die vestings versterk en daarin bevelhebbers aangestel met voorrade voedsel en olie en wyn,

12 en in elkeen van die stede groot skilde en spiese; en hy het hulle uitermate versterk; en Juda en Benjamin het aan hom behoort.

13 En die priesters en die Leviete wat in die hele Israel was, het uit hulle hele grondgebied by hom gestaan.

14 Want die Leviete het hulle weiveld en hulle besitting verlaat en na Juda en Jerusalem getrek; want Jeróbeam en sy seuns het hulle verwerp, sodat hulle geen priesters van die Here meer kon wees nie.

15 En hy het vir hom priesters aangestel vir die hoogtes en die veldduiwels en die kalwers wat hy gemaak het.

16 En agter hulle aan het uit al die stamme van Israel die wat hulle hart daarop gerig het om die Here, die God van Israel, te soek, na Jerusalem gekom om aan die Here, die God van hulle vaders, te offer;

17 en hulle het die koninkryk van Juda versterk en Rehábeam, die seun van Salomo, drie jaar lank bemoedig; want drie jaar lank het hulle in die weg van Dawid en van Salomo gewandel.

18 En Rehábeam het Maglat, die dogter van Jérimot, die seun van Dawid, en van Abíhail, die dogter van Elíab, die seun van Ísai, vir hom as vrou geneem.

19 En sy het vir hom seuns gebaar: Jehus en Semárja en Saham.

20 En ná haar het hy Máäga, die dogter van Absalom, geneem, en sy het vir hom Abía en Áttai en Sisa en Selómit gebaar.

21 En Rehábeam het Máäga, die dogter van Absalom, liewer gehad as al sy vroue en sy byvroue; hy het naamlik agttien vroue geneem en sestig byvroue; en hy het die vader van agt-en-twintig seuns en sestig dogters geword.

22 En Rehábeam het Abía, die seun van Máäga, as hoof, as vors onder sy broers aangestel; want hy wou hom koning maak.

23 En hy het verstandig gehandel en van al sy seuns versprei in al die streke van Juda en Benjamin, in al die versterkte stede, en aan hulle voedsel in oorvloed gegee en 'n menigte vroue vir hulle gevra.