³ Their father had given them many gifts^(A) of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities^(B) in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son.

²³ He acted wisely, dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions^(A) and took many wives for them.

Rehoboam Fortifies Judah

⁵ Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah:

The Right of the Firstborn

¹⁵ If a man has two wives,^(A) and he loves one but not the other, and both bear him sons but the firstborn is the son of the wife he does not love,^{(B) 16} when he wills his property to his sons, he must not give the rights of the firstborn to the son of the wife he loves in preference to his actual firstborn, the son of the wife he does not love.^{(C) 17} He must acknowledge the son of his unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double^(D) share of all he has. That son is the first sign of his father’s strength.^(E) The right of the firstborn belongs to him.^(F)

⁶ But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines^(A) and sent them away from his son Isaac^(B) to the land of the east.^(C)