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¹ And when Rehoboam was come to Ierusalem, he gathered of the house of Iudah and Beniamin, an hundred and fourescore thousand chosen men, which were warriers, to fight against Israel, that hee might bring the kingdome againe to Rehoboam. ² But the worde of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, ³ Speake vnto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Iudah, and to all Israel in Iudah & Beniamin, saying, ⁴ Thus saith the Lord; Ye shall not goe vp, nor fight against your brethren: returne euery man to his house, for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the Lord, and returned from going against Ieroboam. ⁵ And Rehoboam dwelt in Ierusalem, and built cities for defence in Iudah. ⁶ He built euen Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, ⁷ And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam, ⁸ And Gath, and Maresha, and Ziph, ⁹ And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, ¹⁰ And Zorah, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Iudah and in Beniamin, fenced cities. ¹¹ And he fortified the strong holds, and put captaines in them, and store of vitaile, and of oyle and wine. ¹² And in euery seuerall citie he put shields and speares, and made them exceeding strong, hauing Iudah and Beniamin on his side.

¹³ And the Priests and the Leuites that were in all Israel, resorted to him out of all their coasts. ¹⁴ For the Leuites left their suburbs, and their possession, and came to Iudah and Ierusalem: for Ieroboam and his sonnes had cast them off from executing the Priests office vnto the Lord. ¹⁵ And hee ordeined him priests for the high places, and for the deuils, and for the calues which he had made. ¹⁶ And after them out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seeke the Lord God of Israel, came to Ierusalem, to sacrifice vnto the Lord God of their fathers. ¹⁷ So they strengthened the kingdome of Iudah, and made Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon strong, three yeeres: for three yeeres they walked in the way of Dauid and Solomon. ¹⁸ And Rehoboam tooke him Mahalath the daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Iesse: ¹⁹ Which bare him children, Ieush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. ²⁰ And after her, hee tooke Maacah the daughter of Absalom, which bare him Abiiah, and Atthai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹ And Rehoboam loued Maacah the daughter of Absalom, aboue all his wiues and his concubines: for he tooke eighteene wiues, and threescore concubines, and begate twentie and eight sonnes, and threescore daughters. ²² And Rehoboam made Abiiah the sonne of Maacah the chiefe, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. ²³ And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Iudah and Beniamin, vnto euery fenced citie: and he gaue them vitaile in abundance: and hee desired many wiues.