2 Chronicles 11:1-17

Rehoboam Builds Cities for Fortification

^aThen Rehoboam came to Jerusalem and assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who could wage war, to fight against Israel to return the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of Yahweh came to ^aShemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 “Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You shall not go up and fight against ^ayour brothers; return every man to his house, ^bfor this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of Yahweh and returned from going against Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and ^abuilt cities for fortifications in Judah. 6 Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine. 12 And he put large shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
13 Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories.

Jeroboam Sets Up His Own Priests

14 For ^athe Levites left their pasture lands and their possession of land and went to Judah and Jerusalem, for ^bJeroboam and his sons had rejected them from ministering as priests to Yahweh— 15 ^aAnd he set up priests of his own for the high places, for the goat demons and for the calves which he had made— 16 ^aNow those from all the tribes of Israel who gave their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ¹followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. 17 ^aThey strengthened the kingdom of Judah and gave courage to Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

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