Chronicles of the Past Dynasties_Chapter 11

Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and gathered the house of Judah and Benjamin, a total of 180000 chosen warriors, to fight against the Israelites, in order to reclaim the kingdom and return it to himself.

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

Go and tell King Rehoboam of Judah, the son of Solomon, and all the Israelites living in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, go each to his own house. Because this matter belongs to me. And they obeyed the word of the Lord and returned, and did not go to war with Jeroboam.

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities in the land of Judah,

To ensure the construction of Bethlehem, Etam, and Tikoa,

Bo Su, Suo Ge, Aduram,

Gath, Marisha, Sepher,

Adolain, Raj, Azekah,

Zola, Aijalon, Hebron. These are fortified cities of Judah and Benjamin.

Rehoboam strengthened the fortresses throughout, placed commanders in them, and prepared food, oil, and wine.

He prepared shields and spears in every city, and made the city extremely strong. Judah and Benjamin all belong to him.

The priests and Levites from all over Israel came to Rehoboam from all four directions.

The Levites left their suburbs and possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons refused them to serve the Lord as priests.

Jeroboam is a high altar, a male goat, and a priest for the calves he has cast.

All the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord God of Israel followed the Levites and came to Jerusalem to worship the Lord God of their ancestors.

So the kingdom of Judah was strengthened, and Rehoboam the son of Solomon was strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

Rehoboam married Mahalah, the daughter of Jerimoth, the son of David, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse.

She gave birth to several sons, namely Jeush, Shemariah, and Sahan.

Later, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, and gave birth to Abijah, Asia Pacific, Ziza, and Shelomith.

Rehoboam married eighteen wives, took sixty concubines, and had twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. But he loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, even more than his other wives and concubines.

Rehoboam appointed Abijah, the son of Maacah, as the crown prince among his brothers, because he wanted to make him king in succession.

Rehoboam acted wisely and dispersed his sons throughout all Judah and Benjamin in fortified cities. He also gave them a lot of food and found more wives for them.