When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he gathered the house of Judah and Benjamin—one hundred and eighty thousand chosen warriors—to go to war against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

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.

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

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

“Say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

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

‘This is what the LORD says: Do not go up or fight against your brothers. Return every man to his house, for this matter is from Me.’” So they obeyed the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

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.

Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defense in Judah.

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

He built Bethlehem, Etam, and Tekoa,

He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

Beth-Zur, Soco, and Adullam,

And Bethzur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

Gath, Mareshah, and Ziph,

And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph,

Adoraim, Lachish, and Azekah,

And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.

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

He strengthened the fortresses, put leaders in them, and stocked them with supplies of food, oil, and wine.

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

In every city, he placed shields and spears and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his.

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

The priests and Levites throughout Israel took their stand with Rehoboam out of all their territories.

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

For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests of the LORD.

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:

Jeroboam appointed priests for the high places, for the goat idols, and for the calf idols he had made.

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

Those from all the tribes of Israel who had set their hearts on seeking the LORD, the God of Israel, followed them to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

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.

They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, walking in the ways of David and Solomon during those three years.

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.

Rehoboam married Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, who was a son of David, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse.

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;

She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.

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

After her, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.

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

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

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.)

Rehoboam appointed Abijah, son of Maacah, as the chief and leader among his brothers, intending to make him king.

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

He was wise in distributing his sons throughout all the regions of Judah and Benjamin, to all the fortified cities. He provided them with abundant provisions and secured many wives for them.

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.