3. “Say this to King Rehoboam son of Solomon of Judah and to all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin,
4. ‘The Lord says this: “Do not attack and make war with your brothers. Each of you go home, for I have caused this to happen.”’” They obeyed the Lord and called off the attack against Jeroboam.
5. Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem; he built up these fortified cities throughout Judah:
6. Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
7. Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam,
8. Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
9. Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
10. Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
11. He fortified these cities and placed officers in them, as well as storehouses of food, olive oil, and wine.
12. In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
13. The priests and Levites who lived throughout Israel supported him, no matter where they resided.
14. The Levites even left their pasturelands and their property behind and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons prohibited them from serving as the Lord’s priests.
15. Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the worship centers and to lead in the worship of the goat idols and calf idols he had made.