1. After Rehoboam returned to Jerusalem, he decided to attack Israel and regain control of the whole country. So he called together one hundred and eighty thousand soldiers from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
2. Meanwhile, the Lord had told Shemaiah the prophet
3. to tell Rehoboam and everyone from Judah and Benjamin,
4. “The Lord warns you not to go to war against the people from the northern tribes—they are your relatives. Go home! The Lord is the one who made these things happen.”Rehoboam and his army obeyed the Lord's message and did not attack Jeroboam and his troops.
5. Rehoboam ruled from Jerusalem, and he had several cities in Judah turned into fortresses so he could use them to defend his country. These cities included
6. Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7. Beth-Zur, Soco, Adullam,