Shemaiah’s Prophecy (1 Kings 12:20–24)
1 CPDV Then Rehoboam went to Jerusalem, and he called together the entire house of Judah and of Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand elect men of war, so that he might contend against Israel, and turn back his kingdom to himself. BSB BSB: When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
2 CPDV And the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying: BSB BSB: But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
3 CPDV “Speak to Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and to all of Israel who are of Judah, or of Benjamin: BSB BSB: “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin
4 CPDV Thus says the Lord: You shall not ascend and fight against your brothers. Let each one return to his own house. For it is by my will that this has happened.” And when they had heard the word of the Lord, they turned back, and they did not continue on against Jeroboam. BSB BSB: that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Fortifies Judah 6 CPDV And he built up Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, BSB BSB: He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 CPDV and also Bethzur, and Soco, and Adullam, BSB BSB: Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
8 CPDV indeed also Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, BSB BSB: Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 CPDV then too Adoram, and Lachish, and Azekah, BSB BSB: Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 CPDV as well as Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which were very fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. BSB BSB: Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11 CPDV And when he had enclosed them with walls, he placed in them rulers, and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and wine. BSB BSB: He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
12 CPDV Moreover, in each city he made an armory of shields and spears, and he strengthened them with the utmost diligence. And he ruled over Judah and Benjamin. BSB BSB: He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
Jeroboam Forsakes the Priests and Levites 13 CPDV Then the priests and Levites, who were in all of Israel, came to him from all their settlements, BSB BSB: Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.
14 CPDV leaving behind their suburbs and possessions, and crossing over to Judah and to Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his followers had cast them out, so that they could not exercise the priestly office to the Lord. BSB BSB: For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD.
15 CPDV And he appointed for himself priests of high places, and of demons, and of calves that he had made. BSB BSB: And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.
16 CPDV Moreover, out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever would give their heart so that they sought the Lord God of Israel, they went to Jerusalem to immolate their victims before the Lord, the God of their fathers. BSB BSB: Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
17 CPDV And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and they confirmed Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, for three years. For they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, but only for three years. BSB BSB: So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.
Rehoboam’s Family 18 CPDV Then Rehoboam took as wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth, son of David, and also Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, son of Jesse. BSB BSB: And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab.
19 CPDV They bore sons for him: Jeush, and Shemariah, and Zaham. BSB BSB: She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 CPDV And also after her, he married Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, who bore for him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. BSB BSB: After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 CPDV But Rehoboam loved Maacah, the daughter of Absalom, above all his wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines. And he conceived twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. BSB BSB: Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22 CPDV Truly, he appointed as the head, Abijah, the son of Maacah, to be the ruler over all his brothers. For he thought to make him king, BSB BSB: Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.
23 CPDV since he was wiser and more powerful than all his sons, even in all the regions of Judah and Benjamin, and in all the fortified cities. And he provided them with very much food, and he sought many wives. BSB BSB: Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.
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