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- When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and Benjamin--a hundred and eighty thousand fighting men--to make war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.
- But this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
- "Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin,
- 'This is what the LORD says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.' " So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.
- Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah:
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- 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.
- But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
- "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
- '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.
- Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.
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- Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
- Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
- Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
- Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
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- Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
- Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
- Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
- Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
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- He strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them, with supplies of food, olive oil and wine.
- He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.
- The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him.
- The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property, and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.
- And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.
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- He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine.
- He put shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
- Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.
- For 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.
- He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made.
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- Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
- They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon three years, walking in the ways of David and Solomon during this time.
- Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David's son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse's son Eliab.
- She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
- Then he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
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- Those 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.
- 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.
- Then 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,
- and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
- After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
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- Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
- Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah to be the chief prince among his brothers, in order to make him king.
- He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them.
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- Rehoboam 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.
- Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
- He 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.
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