17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.
18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David as a wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
19 She bore him children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham.
20 After her, he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines (for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begat twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters).
22 Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brothers, for he intended to make him king.
23 He acted wisely and dispersed of all his children throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city, and he gave them provisions in abundance. And he desired many wives.