^aCuando Roboam llegó a Jerusalén, reunió la casa de Judá y Benjamín, ciento ochenta mil hombres, guerreros escogidos, para pelear contra Israel y restituir el reino a Roboam. 2 Pero la palabra del SEÑOR vino a Semaías, hombre de Dios, diciendo^a: 3 Habla a Roboam, hijo de Salomón, rey de Judá, y a todo Israel en Judá y Benjamín, diciéndoles: 4 «Así dice el SEÑOR: “No subiréis ni pelearéis contra vuestros hermanos^a; vuelva cada uno a su casa, porque de mí ha venido esto”». Y ellos escucharon las palabras del SEÑOR^b y desistieron de ir contra Jeroboam.

5 Y Roboam habitó en Jerusalén, y edificó ciudades para defensa en Judá^a. 6 Así edificó Belén, Etam, Tecoa, 7 Bet-sur, Soco, Adulam, 8 Gat, Maresa, Zif, 9 Adoraim, Laquis, Azeca, 10 Zora, Ajalón y Hebrón, que son ciudades fortificadas en Judá y en Benjamín. 11 También reforzó las fortalezas y puso comandantes en ellas, y provisiones de víveres, aceite y vino. 12 Y puso escudos y lanzas en todas las ciudades y las reforzó en gran manera. Así mantuvo a su lado a Judá y a Benjamín.

13 Y los sacerdotes y los levitas que estaban en todo Israel se pasaron a él desde todos sus distritos. 14 Porque los levitas dejaron sus tierras de pastos y sus propiedades^a y vinieron a Judá y a Jerusalén, pues Jeroboam y sus hijos los habían excluido de servir al SEÑOR como sacerdotes^b. 15 Y Jeroboam designó sus propios sacerdotes para los lugares altos^a, para los demonios¹, y para los becerros que él había hecho. 16 Aquellos de entre todas las tribus de Israel que habían resuelto en su corazón buscar al SEÑOR, Dios de Israel, los siguieron^1a a Jerusalén para sacrificar al SEÑOR, Dios de sus padres. 17 Y fortalecieron el reino de Judá y apoyaron a Roboam^a, hijo de Salomón, por tres años, pues anduvieron en el camino de David y de Salomón por tres años.

18 Entonces Roboam tomó por mujer a Mahalat, hija de Jerimot, hijo de David y de Abihail, hija de Eliab^a, hijo de Isaí, 19 y ella le dio hijos: Jeús, Semarías y Zaham. 20 Después de ella tomó a Maaca, hija de Absalón, y ella le dio a Abías^a, Atai, Ziza y Selomit. 21 Y amó Roboam a Maaca, hija de Absalón, más que a todas sus otras mujeres y concubinas. Porque había tomado dieciocho mujeres^a y sesenta concubinas, y engendró veintiocho hijos y sesenta hijas. 22 Roboam puso a Abías, hijo de Maaca, por cabeza y jefe entre sus hermanos, porque quería hacerlo rey^a. 23 Y obró sabiamente, y distribuyó a algunos de¹ sus hijos por todos los territorios de Judá y de Benjamín, por todas las ciudades fortificadas, les dio alimento en abundancia, y les buscó muchas mujeres.

^aNow when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the LORD came to ^aShemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 “Tell Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 ‘This is what the LORD says: “You shall not go up nor fight against ^ayour relatives; return, every man, to his house, ^bfor this ¹event is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and ^abuilt cities for defense in Judah. 6 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 Benjamin. 11 He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and supplies of food, oil, and wine. 12 He put 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 also stood with him from all their districts.

14 For ^athe Levites left their pasture lands and their property and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because ^bJeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD. 15 ^aHe set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and the calves which he had made. 16 ^aThose from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel ¹followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. 17 ^aThey strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

18 Then Rehoboam married Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of ^aEliab the son of Jesse, 19 and she bore to him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. 20 After her he married ^aMaacah the daughter of ¹Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For ^ahe had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 ^aRehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. 23 He acted wisely and distributed ¹some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them plenty of provisions. And he sought many wives for them.

^aNow when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the LORD 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 the LORD, “You shall not go up or fight against ^ayour ¹relatives; return every man to his house, ^bfor this thing is from Me.”’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.

5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and ^abuilt cities for defense 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 He put 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 stood with him from all their districts.

14 For ^athe Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for ^bJeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD. 15 ^aHe set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made. 16 ^aThose from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel ¹followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. 17 ^aThey strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

18 Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David and of Abihail the daughter of ^aEliab the son of Jesse, 19 and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham. 20 After her he took ^aMaacah the daughter of ¹Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith. 21 Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines. For ^ahe had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. 22 ^aRehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. 23 He acted wisely and distributed ¹some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he sought many wives for them.