Shemaiah’s Prophecy (1 Kings 12:20–24)
1 DRA And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him. 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 DRA And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying: BSB BSB: But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:
3 DRA Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin: BSB BSB: “Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin
4 DRA Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go 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 DRA And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue, BSB BSB: He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 DRA And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam, BSB BSB: Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
8 DRA And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph, BSB BSB: Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9 DRA And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha, BSB BSB: Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10 DRA Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities. BSB BSB: Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11 DRA And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine. BSB BSB: He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine.
12 DRA Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, 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 DRA And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats, BSB BSB: Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam.
14 DRA Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing 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 DRA And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which 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 DRA Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice 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 DRA And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only 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 DRA And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai. 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 DRA And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom. BSB BSB: She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20 DRA And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith. BSB BSB: After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
21 DRA And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he beget eight and twenty sons, and threescore 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 DRA But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king, BSB BSB: Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king.
23 DRA Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, 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.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.