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.
Olúwa Kọ̀ fún Juda láti Bá Israẹli Jagun
111.1-4: 1Ọb 12.22-24.Nígbà tí Rehoboamu dé Jerusalẹmu, ó kó ilé Juda àti Benjamini jọ, ọ̀kẹ́ mẹ́sàn-án ènìyàn tí a yàn, tí wọ́n jẹ́ ológun, láti bá Israẹli jà kí ó lè mú ìjọba naà padà bọ̀ sọ́dọ̀ rẹ̀.
2Ṣùgbọ́n ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa tọ Ṣemaiah ènìyàn Ọlọ́run wá wí pé: 3“Wí fún Rehoboamu ọmọ Solomoni ọba Juda, sí gbogbo àwọn ọmọ Israẹli ní Juda àti Benjamini, 4‘Èyí ní ohun tí Olúwa wí. Ẹ má ṣe gòkè lọ láti lọ jà pẹ̀lú arákùnrin yín, ẹ lọ sílé, gbogbo yín, nítorí ti ìṣe mi nìyí.’ ” Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọ́n tẹ̀lé ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run, wọ́n sì padà sẹ́yìn láti yan lọ dojúkọ Jeroboamu.
5Rehoboamu ń gbe ní Jerusalẹmu ó sì kọ́ àwọn ìlú fún olódi ní Juda. 6Bẹtilẹhẹmu, Etamu, Tekoa, 7Beti-Suri, Soko, Adullamu 8Gati, Meraṣa Sifi, 9Adoraimu, Lakiṣi, Aseka 10Sora, Aijaloni, àti Hebroni. Wọ̀nyí ni àwọn ìlú ìdáàbòbò ní Juda àti Benjamini. 11Ó sì mú àwọn ìlú olódi lágbára, ó sì fi àwọn balógun sínú wọn àti àkójọ oúnjẹ, àti òróró àti ọtí wáìnì. 12Àti ní olúkúlùkù ìlú ni ó fi asà àti ọ̀kọ̀ sí, ó sì mú wọn lágbára gidigidi, ó sì ní Juda àti Benjamini lábẹ́ rẹ̀.
Àwọn ọmọ Lefi dúró pẹ̀lú Juda
13Àwọn àlùfáà àti àwọn ará Lefi, láti gbogbo ẹ̀yà wọn jákèjádò Israẹli wà ní ẹ̀bá rẹ̀. 14Àwọn ará Lefi fi ìgbèríko sílẹ̀, wọ́n sì wá sí Juda àti Jerusalẹmu nítorí Jeroboamu àti àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀, ti kọ̀ wọ́n sílẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí àwọn àlùfáà Olúwa. 15Ó sì yan àwọn àlùfáà tirẹ̀ fún àwọn ibi gíga wọ̀n-ọn-nì, àti fún àwọn ère òbúkọ, àti fún ẹgbọrọ màlúù tí ó ṣe. 16Àwọn tó wá láti gbogbo ẹ̀yà Israẹli tí wọ́n fi ọkàn wọn fún wíwá Olúwa, Ọlọ́run Israẹli, tẹ̀lé àwọn ará Lefi lọ sí Jerusalẹmu láti lọ rú ẹbọ sí Olúwa Ọlọ́run baba a wọn. 17Ó fún ìjọba Juda ní agbára, ó sì ti Rehoboamu ọmọ Solomoni lẹ́yìn fún ọdún mẹ́ta nítorí ọdún mẹ́ta ni wọ́n fi rìn ní ọ̀nà ti Dafidi àti Solomoni ní àkókò yí.
Rehoboamu kó obìnrin jọ fún ara rẹ̀
18Rehoboamu fẹ́ Mahalati tí ó jẹ́ ọmọbìnrin ti ọmọkùnrin Dafidi Jerimoti bi àti ti Abihaili, ọmọbìnrin ti ọmọkùnrin Jese Eliabu bí. 19Ó bí àwọn ọmọ fún un: Jeuṣi, Ṣemariah àti Sahamu. 20Nígbà náà, ó fẹ́ Maaka ọmọbìnrin Absalomu, tí ó bí Abijah fún Attai, Sisa àti Ṣelomiti. 21Rehoboamu fẹ́ràn Maaka ọmọbìnrin Absalomu ju èyíkéyìí nínú àwọn ìyàwó rẹ̀ àti àwọn àlè rẹ̀ lọ. Ní gbogbo rẹ̀, ó ní ìyàwó méjì-dínlógún àti ọgọ́ta àlè ọmọkùnrin méjì-dínlọ́gbọ̀n àti ọgọ́ta ọmọbìnrin.
22Rehoboamu yan Abijah ọmọ Maaka láti jẹ́ olóyè ọmọ-aládé láàrín àwọn arákùnrin rẹ̀, kí ó ba à lè ṣe é ní ọba. 23Ó hùwà ọlọ́gbọ́n, nípa fí fọ́n díẹ̀ nínú àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ jákèjádò ká àwọn agbègbè Juda àti Benjamini àti sí gbogbo àwọn ìlú ńlá olódi. Ó fún wọn ní ọ̀pọ̀ ohun tí wọ́n fẹ́, ó sì fẹ́ ọ̀pọ̀ ìyàwó fún wọn.
