The Divided Kingdom

Hee buylt also Beth-lehem, and Etam, and Tekoa,

And Beth-zur, and Shoco, and Adullam,

And Gath, and Maresha, and Ziph,

And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah,

And Zorah, and Aialon, and Hebron, which were in Iudah and Beniamin, strong cities.

And he repaired the strong holdes and put captaines in them, and store of vitaile, and oyle and wine.

And in all cities he put shieldes and speares, and made them exceeding strong: so Iudah and Beniamin were his.

And the Priests and the Leuites that were in all Israel, resorted vnto him out of all their coastes.

For the Leuites left their suburbes and their possession, and came to Iudah and to Ierusalem: for Ieroboam and his sonnes had cast them out from ministring in the Priestes office vnto the Lord.

And he ordeyned him Priests for the hie places, and for the deuils and for the calues which he had made.

And after the Leuites there came to Ierusalem of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their heartes to seeke the Lord God of Israel, to offer vnto the Lord God of their fathers.

So they strengthened the kingdome of Iudah, and made Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon mightie, three yeere long: for three yeere they walked in in the way of Dauid and Salomon.

And Rehoboam tooke him Mahalath ye daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Ishai,

Which bare him sonnes Ieush, and Shemariah, and Zaham.

And after her he tooke Maakah ye daughter of Absalom which bare him Abiiah, and Atthai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

And Rehoboam loued Maakah ye daughter of Absalom aboue all his wiues and his concubines: for he tooke eighteene wiues, and three score concubines, and begate eyght and twentie sonnes, and three score daughters.

And Rehoboam made Abiiah the sonne of Maakah the chiefe ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him King.

And he taught him: and dispersed all his sonnes throughout all the countreis of Iudah and Beniamin vnto euery strong citie: and hee gaue them aboundance of vitaile, and desired many wiues.

And when Rehoboam had established the kingdome and made it strong, hee forsooke the Lawe of the Lord, and all Israel with him.

Therefore in the fift yeere of King Rehoboam, Shishak the King of Egypt came vp against Ierusalem (because they had transgressed against the Lord)

With twelue hundreth charets, and three score thousande horsemen, and the people were without nomber, that came with him from Egypt, euen the Lubims, Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

And he tooke the strong cities which were of Iudah, and came vnto Ierusalem.

Then came Shemaiah the Prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Iudah, that were gathered together in Hierusalem, because of Shishak, and sayde vnto them, Thus sayth the Lord, Ye haue forsaken me, therefore haue I also left you in the handes of Shishak.

Then the princes of Israel, and the King humbled themselues, and sayde, The Lord is iust.

And when the Lord sawe that they humbled themselues, the worde of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They haue humbled theselues, therefore I will not destroy them, but I will sende them deliuerance shortly, and my wrath shall not bee powred out vpon Ierusalem by the hand of Shishak.