Therefore send me at once a man skillful to work in gold and silver, in bronze and iron, in purple and crimson and blue, who has skill to engrave with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided.

And the king made walkways of the algum wood for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, also harps and stringed instruments for singers; and there were none such as these seen before in the land of Judah.

But Rehoboam reigned over the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah.

Rehoboam’s Reign in Judah

Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled from the house of Judah and Benjamin one hundred and eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.

“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,

Rehoboam Fortifies the Cities

So Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah.

Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, fortified cities.

Also in every city he put shields and spears, and made them very strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

Priests and Levites Move to Judah

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

For the Levites left their common-lands and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them from serving as priests to the Lord.

So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

He dealt wisely, and dispersed some of his sons throughout all the territories of Judah and Benjamin, to every fortified city; and he gave them provisions in abundance. He also sought many wives for them.

Egypt Attacks Judah

Now it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel along with him.

And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.

Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord: ‘You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak.’ ”

When he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.

Abijah Reigns in Judah

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah.

But Jeroboam caused an ambush to go around behind them; so they were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them.

And when Judah looked around, to their surprise the battle line was at both front and rear; and they cried out to the Lord, and the priests sounded the trumpets.

Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the Lord God of their fathers.

Asa Reigns over Judah

So Abijah rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet for ten years.

Asa Reigns in Judah

Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God,

He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.