2. But the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, the man of God, saying,
3. “Say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,
4. ‘Thus says Yahweh: “Do not go up, and do not fight against your brothers. Return, each man to his house, for this matter has come from me.” ’ ” So they obeyed the words of Yahweh and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
5. And Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities as strongholds in Judah.
6. He built Bethlehem, Etah, Tekoa,
7. Beth-Zur, Socoh, Adullam,
8. Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9. Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10. Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin.
11. And he strengthened the fortifications and put commanders in them, along with stores of food, olive oil, and wine.
12. And in all the cities he put shields and spears, and he greatly strengthened them. So he had Judah and Benjamin.
13. Now the priests and the Levites who were throughout all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories.
14. For the Levites left their pasturelands and their property and came to Judah and to Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to Yahweh.
15. And he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the bull calves that he had made.
16. Then after them, from all the tribes of Israel, those who set their heart to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to offer to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.
17. And they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, secure for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.