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,
8. Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9. Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10. Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. After he had fortified these cities in the territories of Judah and Benjamin,
11. he assigned an army commander to each of them and stocked them with supplies of food, olive oil, and wine,
12. as well as with shields and spears. He used these fortified cities to keep control of Judah and Benjamin.
13. The priests and Levites from the northern tribes of Israel gave their support to King Rehoboam.