1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered Judah and Benjamin – a hundred and eighty thousand able young men – to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam.
2 But this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God:
3 ‘Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,
4 “This is what the Lord says: do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites. Go home, every one of you, for this is my doing.” ’ So they obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.
5 Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defence in Judah:
6 Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7 Beth Zur, Soko, Adullam,