1 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. 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 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.
5 ¶ And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 6 He built even Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 7 And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam, 8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 9 And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 10 And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities. 11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.
13 ¶ And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 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: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16 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. 17 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.
18 ¶ 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; 19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 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.) 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king. 23 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.
Rehabeāms nostiprina Jūdas un Benjāmina pilsētas
(1Ķēn 12:20–24)1 Rehabeāms nāca uz Jeruzālemi un sapulcināja Jūdas un Benjāmina namu, simts astoņdesmit tūkstošus izlases karotāju, lai karotu ar Israēlu un atgūtu valsti Rehabeāmam.
2 Tad Kunga vārds nāca pār Dieva vīru Šemaju: 3 “Saki Sālamana dēlam, Jūdas ķēniņam Rehabeāmam un visam Israēlam Jūdā un Benjāminā: 4 tā saka Kungs: necelieties un nekarojiet ar saviem brāļiem, bet atgriezieties katrs savā namā, jo tā lieta nākusi no manis!” Tie uzklausīja Kunga vārdu un negāja karot ar Jārobāmu.
5 Rehabeāms dzīvoja Jeruzālemē un cēla Jūdā nocietinātas pilsētas. 6 Viņš cēla Betlēmi, Ētāmu, Tekou, 7 Bēt-Cūru, Soho, Adullāmu, 8 Gatu, Mārēšu, Zīfu, 9 Adoraimu, Lāhīšu, Azēku, 10 Coru, Ajalonu, Hebronu – nocietinātas pilsētas Jūdā un Benjāminā. 11 Viņš nostiprināja nocietinājumus, iecēla pilsētām pārvaldniekus un krāja tajās pārtiku, eļļu un vīnu. 12 Katrā pilsētā bija vairogi un šķēpi, viņš tās bija vareni nostiprinājis. Viņam bija palikusi Jūda un Benjāmins.
Priesteri un levīti atbalsta Rehabeāmu
(1Ķēn 14:21–24)13 Priesteri un levīti no visām Israēla robežām atgriezās pie viņa, 14 jo levīti atstāja savas zemes platības un īpašumus un devās uz Jeruzālemi. Jārobāms un viņa dēli tos bija atcēluši no Kunga priesteru amata 15 un iecēluši priesterus gan augstienēm, gan āžkājiem, gan teļiem, ko paši bija darinājuši. 16 Tie, kas no sirds meklēja Kungu, Israēla Dievu, no visām Israēla ciltīm kopā ar levītiem devās uz Jeruzālemi, lai upurētu Kungam, viņu tēvu Dievam. 17 Tā viņi nostiprināja Jūdas valsti un atbalstīja Rehabeāmu, Sālamana dēlu, trīs gadus – visus trīs gadus staigādami Dāvida un Sālamana ceļu.
Rehabeāma sievas
18 Rehabeāms ņēma par sievu Mahalatu, Dāvida dēla Jerīmota meitu, un Abīhailu, Jišaja dēla Elīāba meitu. 19 Viņa tam dzemdēja dēlus: Jeūšu, Šemarju un Zāhamu. 20 Pēc tam viņš apņēma Abšāloma meitu Maahu, kas viņam dzemdēja Abiju, Ataju, Zīzu un Šelomītu. 21 Rehabeāms mīlēja Maahu, Abšāloma meitu, vairāk par visām savām sievām un blakussievām. Viņam bija astoņdesmit sievas un sešdesmit blakussievas. Viņam dzemdēja divdesmit astoņus dēlus un sešdesmit meitas. 22 Rehabeāms iecēla Maahas dēlu Abiju par galveno, par vadoni saviem brāļiem, jo viņš bija nolēmis to iecelt par ķēniņu. 23 Viņš bija saprātīgs un sadalīja visus savus dēlus pa visu Jūdas un Benjāmina zemi, pa visām nocietinātajām pilsētām, deva tiem daudz pārtikas un sagādāja pulkiem sievu.
