1And when Rechav'am was come to Yerushalayim, he gathered of the Bais Yehudah and Binyamin a hundred and fourscore thousand bachur oseh milchamah (chosen men, which were warriors), to make war against Yisroel, that he might restore the mamlachah to Rechav'am.

2But the Devar Hashem came to Shema'yah the Ish HaElohim, saying,

3Speak unto Rechav'am ben Sh'lomo Melech Yehudah, and to kol Yisroel in Yehudah and Binyamin, saying,

4Thus saith Hashem, Ye shall not go up, nor make war against your achim. Shuvu (return) every ish to his bais, for this thing is done from Me. And they obeyed the divrei Hashem, and returned back from going against Yarov'am.

5And Rechav'am dwelt in Yerushalayim, and built arim lematzor (cities for defense) in Yehudah.

6He built even Beit-Lechem, and Eitam, and Tekoa,

7Beit-Tzur, Sokhoh, Adullam,

8Gat, Mareshah, Ziph,

9And Adorayim, and Lakhish, and Azekah,

10And Tzorah, and Ayalon, and Chevron, which are in Yehudah and in Binyamin arei metzurot (fortified cities).

11And he fortified the metzurot (fortifications), and put negidim (rulers) in them, and otzerot ma'achal (storage places of food), and of shemen and yayin.

12And in all the cities he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Yehudah and Binyamin on his side.

13And the Kohanim and the Levi'im that were in kol Yisroel availed themselves to him from all their territories.

14For the Levi'im abandoned their common-lands and their achuzzah (possession, estate) and came to Yehudah and Yerushalayim; for Yarov'am and his banim had cast them off from executing the office of Kohen unto Hashem.

15And he ordained him kohanim for the high places, and for the se'irim (goat idols, demons) and for the agalim (calf idols) which he had made.

16And after them from all the Shivtei Yisroel such as set their hearts to seek Hashem Elohei Yisroel came to Yerushalayim, to sacrifice unto Hashem Elohei Avoteihem.

17So they strengthened the Malchut Yehudah, and made Rechav'am ben Sh'lomo strong, shanim shalosh. For shanim shalosh they walked in the Derech Dovid u'Sh'lomo.

18And Rechav'am took him Machalat bat Yerimot Ben Dovid as isha, and Avihayil bat Eliav ben Yishai,

19Which bore him banim: Ye'ush, and Shemaryah, and Zaham.

20And after her he took Ma'achah bat Avshalom, who bore him Aviyah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shlomit.

21And Rechav'am loved Ma'achah bat Avshalom more than any of his nashim and his pilagshim; (for he took eighteen nashim, and threescore pilagshim, and fathered twenty and eight banim, and threescore banot.)

22And Rechav'am made Aviyah ben Ma'achah the rosh, to be nagid among his achim, for he intended to make him melech.

23And he acted wisely, and dispersed kol banim of him throughout all the lands of Yehudah and Binyamin, unto all of the arei hametzurot (fortified cities); and he gave them mazon (provision, food) in abundance. And he took for them many wives.