10. Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11. He made the fortifications stronger, placed commanders in them, and supplied them with food, oil, and wine.
12. He also stored shields and spears in each of the cities, making them very strong. This is how Judah and Benjamin remained under his control.
13. The priests and the Levites from every region throughout all Israel sided with Rehoboam.
14. The Levites left their pastures and property to come to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had refused to let them serve as the Lord’s priests,
15. having appointed his own priests for the shrines and the goat and calf idols he had made.
16. People from every tribe of Israel who had made up their minds to seek the Lord, Israel’s God, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
17. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, for three years by following the way of David and Solomon those three years.
18. Rehoboam married Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth, David’s son, and Abihail daughter of Eliab, Jesse’s son.