1Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem. He brought together 180,000 capable young men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. He had decided to go to war against Israel. He wanted his fighting men to get the kingdom of Israel back for him.
2But a message came to Shemaiah from the Lord. Shemaiah was a man of God. The Lord said to him, 3“Speak to Solomon’s son Rehoboam, the king of Judah. Speak to all the people of Israel in Judah and Benjamin. Tell them, 4‘The Lord says, “Do not go up to fight against your relatives. I want every one of you to go back home. Things have happened exactly the way I planned them.” ’ ” So the young men obeyed the Lord’s message. They turned back. They didn’t march out against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Builds Up Judah’s Towns
5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem. He made Judah more secure by building up its towns. 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7Beth Zur, Soko and Adullam. 8He also built up Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron. All of them were cities in Judah and Benjamin that had high walls around them. 11Rehoboam made those cities even more secure. He put commanders in them. He gave the cities plenty of food, olive oil and wine. 12He put shields and spears in all those cities. He made them very strong. So he ruled over Judah and Benjamin.
13The priests and Levites were on Rehoboam’s side. They came from their territories all over Israel. 14The Levites even left their grasslands and other property behind. They came to Judah and Jerusalem. That’s because Jeroboam and his sons had refused to accept them as priests of the Lord. 15Jeroboam had appointed his own priests to serve at the high places. He had made statues of gods that looked like goats and calves. His priests served those gods. 16Some people from every tribe in Israel followed the Levites to Jerusalem. With all their hearts they wanted to worship the Lord. He is the God of Israel. They came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to him. He was the God of their people of long ago. 17All those who came to Jerusalem made the kingdom of Judah strong. They helped Solomon’s son Rehoboam for three years. During that time they lived the way David and Solomon had lived.
Rehoboam’s Family
18Rehoboam married Mahalath. She was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth. Her mother was Abihail. Abihail was the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19Mahalath had sons by Rehoboam. Their names were Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20Then Rehoboam married Maakah. She was the daughter of Absalom. She had sons by Rehoboam. Their names were Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. 21Rehoboam loved Absalom’s daughter Maakah. In fact, he loved her more than any of his other wives and concubines. He had a total of 18 wives and 60 concubines. And he had a total of 28 sons and 60 daughters.
22Rehoboam appointed Maakah’s son Abijah to be the chief prince among his brothers. He did it because he wanted to make him king. 23Rehoboam acted wisely. He scattered some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin. He put them in all the cities that had high walls around them. He gave them plenty of food and everything else they needed. He also gave them many wives.
Roboão rei de Judá
(1 Rs 14.21-31)
1Ao chegar a Jerusalém, Roboão mobilizou as tropas de Judá e de Benjamim, 180 000 hábeis soldados, e declarou guerra contra o resto de Israel, numa tentativa de reunir o reino.
2Contudo, o Senhor enviou ao profeta Semaías, homem de Deus, a seguinte mensagem: 3“Vai dizer a Roboão, o filho de Salomão, rei de Judá, e a todo o povo de Judá e Benjamim estas palavras: 4O Senhor diz: Não combatam contra os vossos irmãos. Vão para casa; porque sou eu quem está por detrás desta rebelião.” Eles assim fizeram; obedeceram ao Senhor e desistiram de combater contra Jeroboão.
Roboão fortifica Judá
5Roboão ficou em Jerusalém e fortificou as seguintes povoações de Judá, reforçando muralhas e portas para maior segurança: 6Belém, Etã, Tecoa, 7Bete-Zur, Socó, Adulão, 8Gate, Maressa, Zife, 9Adoraim, Laquis, Azeca, 10Zora, Aijalom e Hebrom. Estas cidades fortificadas estão nos territórios de Judá e de Benjamim. 11Também reconstruiu e reforçou as fortalezas, guarnecendo-as com maiores contingentes de tropas sob o comando de oficiais, reabastecendo-as com comida, azeite e vinho. 12Também renovou as provisões, escudos e lanças, em cada cidade, como medida de segurança. Porque só Judá e Benjamim se mantiveram leais.
13-14Contudo, os sacerdotes e os levitas das outras tribos abandonaram as suas casas e localidades de origem e mudaram-se para Jerusalém, porque o rei Jeroboão os despedira, dizendo-lhes que tinham de deixar de ser sacerdotes do Senhor. 15Jeroboão designou outros sacerdotes no lugar dos primeiros, encorajando o povo a prestar culto a ídolos, e não a Deus, fazendo sacrifícios a imagens de ídolos feitas por mãos de homens, que haviam construído em forma de bodes e de bezerros. 16Houve também gente de todas as partes de Israel a mudar-se para Jerusalém, onde podia continuar a adorar livremente o Senhor, o Deus dos seus antepassados, e a prestar-lhe culto. 17Isto deu ainda mais força ao reino de Judá, pelo que o rei Roboão pôde fortalecer-se durante três anos sem dificuldade; porque, durante esse tempo, houve um esforço grande para obedecer ao Senhor, tal como os reis David e Salomão tinham feito.
A família de Roboão
18Roboão casou-se com Maalate, que era filha de Jerimote, filho de David e Abiail, filha de Eliabe, que era filho de Jessé. 19Três filhos nasceram desse casamento: Jeús, Semarias e Zaão. 20Mais tarde, casou-se também com Maacá, filha de Absalão. Os filhos que esta última lhe deu foram Abias, Atai, Ziza e Selomite. 21Roboão amou mais Maacá do que qualquer outra das mulheres ou concubinas e teve 18 mulheres e 60 concubinas que lhe deram 28 filhos e 60 filhas.
22Abias, filho de Maacá, era o seu favorito, e decidiu fazê-lo herdeiro no trono. 23Prudentemente espalhou os outros filhos pelas povoações fortificadas das terras de Judá e Benjamim, dando-lhes generosas pensões e a possibilidade de viver com muitas mulheres.
