1 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors, to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: 3 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘This is what the LORD says: You must not go up and fight against your brothers. Return, each of you, to your own house, for this has come from me.’ ” They obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built fortified cities in Judah. 6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Socoh, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11 He strengthened the fortresses and put commanders in them, with stores of food, oil, and wine. 12 He put shields and spears in every city and made them very strong. Judah and Benjamin were under his rule.

13 The priests and Levites throughout Israel joined him from all their territories. 14 For the Levites left their pasturelands and possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD. 15 He appointed priests for himself for the high places, the goat demons, and the calves he had made. 16 After them, people from all the tribes of Israel who had set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 17 They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years. 18 Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath, daughter of Jerimoth son of David and of Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. 19 She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. He had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief, a leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. 23 He acted wisely and distributed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives.