¹⁷ But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

¹¹ He also strengthened the fortresses and put officers in them and stores of food, oil and wine. ¹² And he put large shields and spears in every city and strengthened them greatly. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

¹³ Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel took their stand with him from all their territories.

Jeroboam Sets Up His Own Priests

¹⁴ For ^(A)the Levites left their pasture lands and their possession of land and went to Judah and Jerusalem, for ^(B)Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from ministering as priests to Yahweh— ^15 (C)And he set up priests of his own for the high places, for the goat demons and for the calves which he had made— ^16 (D)Now those from all the tribes of Israel who gave their hearts to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ^[a]followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to Yahweh, the God of their fathers. ^17 (E)They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and gave courage to Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

⁹ And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those from Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon ^(A)who sojourned with them, for many defected to him from Israel when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him.