1Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
1羅波安來到耶路撒冷，招聚猶大家和便雅憫家，共十八萬人，都是挑選的戰士，要與以色列人爭戰，好將國奪回再歸自己。
2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
2但耶和華的話臨到神人示瑪雅說：
3'Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
3你去告訴所羅門的兒子猶大王羅波安和住猶大、便雅憫的以色列眾人說，
4'Thus says the LORD, 'You shall not go up or fight against your relatives; return every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.''' So they listened to the words of the LORD and returned from going against Jeroboam.
4耶和華如此說：你們不可上去與你們的弟兄爭戰，各歸各家去罷！因為這事出於我。眾人就聽從耶和華的話歸回，不去與耶羅波安爭戰。
5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built cities for defense in Judah.
5羅波安住在耶路撒冷，在猶大地修築城邑，
6Thus he built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
6為保障修築伯利恆、以坦、提哥亞、
7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam,
7伯夙、梭哥、亞杜蘭、
8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph,
8迦特、瑪利沙、西弗、
9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah,
9亞多萊音、拉吉、亞西加、
10Zorah, Aijalon and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin.
10瑣拉、亞雅崙、希伯崙。這都是猶大和便雅憫的堅固城。
11He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine.
11羅波安又堅固各處的保障，在其中安置軍長，又預備下糧食、油、酒。
12[He put] shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.
12他在各城裡預備盾牌和槍，且使城極其堅固。猶大和便雅憫都歸了他。
13Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.
13以色列全地的祭司和利未人都從四方來歸羅波安。
14For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD.
14利未人撇下他們的郊野和產業，來到猶大與耶路撒冷，是因耶羅波安和他的兒子拒絕他們，不許他們供祭司職分事奉耶和華。
15He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made.
15耶羅波安為邱壇、為鬼魔(原文作公山羊)、為自己所鑄造的牛犢設立祭司。
16Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers.
16以色列各支派中，凡立定心意尋求耶和華─以色列神的，都隨從利未人，來到耶路撒冷祭祀耶和華─他們列祖的 神。
17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
17這樣，就堅固猶大國，使所羅門的兒子羅波安強盛三年，因為他們三年遵行大衛和所羅門的道。
18Then Rehoboam took as a wife Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David [and of] Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse,
18羅波安娶大衛兒子耶利摩的女兒瑪哈拉為妻，又娶耶西兒子以利押的女兒亞比孩為妻。
19and she bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah and Zaham.
19從他生了幾個兒子，就是耶烏施、示瑪利雅、撒罕。
20After her he took Maacah the daughter of Absalom, and she bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza and Shelomith.
20後來又娶押沙龍的女兒瑪迦(十三章二節作烏列的女兒米該雅)，從他生了亞比雅、亞太、細撒、示羅密。
21Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom more than all his [other] wives and concubines. For he had taken eighteen wives and sixty concubines and fathered twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
21羅波安娶十八個妻，立六十個妾，生二十八個兒子，六十個女兒；他卻愛押沙龍的女兒瑪迦，比愛別的妻妾更甚。
22Rehoboam appointed Abijah the son of Maacah as head and leader among his brothers, for he [intended] to make him king.
22羅波安立瑪迦的兒子亞比雅作太子，在他弟兄中為首，因為想要立他接續作王。
23He acted wisely and distributed some of his sons through all the territories of Judah and Benjamin to all the fortified cities, and he gave them food in abundance. And he sought many wives [for them].
23羅波安辦事精明，使他眾子分散在猶大和便雅憫全地各堅固城裡，又賜他們許多糧食，為他們多尋妻子。