New Living Translation

King James Bible

Shemaiah’s Prophecy

When Rehoboam arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah and Benjamin — 180,000 select troops — to fight against Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself.

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Shemaiah's Prophecy

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.

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But the LORD said to Shemaiah, the man of God,

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But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

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“Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin:

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Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

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‘This is what the LORD says: Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home, for what has happened is my doing!’” So they obeyed the message of the LORD and did not fight against Jeroboam.

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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.

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Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

Rehoboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the defense of Judah.

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Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah.

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He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,

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He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

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Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,

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And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

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Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,

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And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

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Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,

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And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

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Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These became the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin.

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And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

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Rehoboam strengthened their defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored supplies of food, olive oil, and wine.

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And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine.

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He also put shields and spears in these towns as a further safety measure. So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.

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And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

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But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam.

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Priests and Levites Forsaken by Jeroboam

And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts.

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The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the LORD as priests.

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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:

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Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made.

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And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

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From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the LORD, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the LORD, the God of their ancestors.

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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.

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This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon, for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.

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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.

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Rehoboam’s Family

Rehoboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab son of Jesse.

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Rehoboam's Family

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;

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Mahalath had three sons — Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

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Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

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Later Rehoboam married another cousin, Maacah, the granddaughter of Absalom. Maacah gave birth to Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

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And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

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Rehoboam loved Maacah more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and they gave birth to twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

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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.)

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Rehoboam appointed Maacah’s son Abijah as leader among the princes, making it clear that he would be the next king.

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And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

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Rehoboam also wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons and stationed some of them in the fortified towns throughout the land of Judah and Benjamin. He provided them with generous provisions, and he found many wives for them.

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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.

Parallel

New Living Translation

King James Bible

2 Chronicles 11

2 Chronicles 11