And Roboam came to Jerusalem, and called together all the house of Juda and of Benjamin, a hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men and warriors, to fight against Israel, and to bring back his kingdom to him.

Venit autem Roboam in Jerusalem, et convocavit universam domum Juda et Benjamin, centum octoginta millia electorum atque bellantium, ut dimicaret contra Israël, et converteret ad se regnum suum.

Upon reaching Jerusalem, Roboam mustered the whole forces of Juda and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand tried warriors, to do battle with the Israelites and recover his kingdom.

And the word of the Lord came to Semeias the man of God, saying:

Factusque est sermo Domini ad Semeiam hominem Dei, dicens:

But the Lord sent word to the prophet Semeias,

Speak to Roboam the son of Solomon the king of Juda, and to all Israel, in Juda and Benjamin:

Loquere ad Roboam filium Salomonis regem Juda, et ad universum Israël, qui est in Juda et Benjamin:

Here is a message for Roboam, son of Solomon, king of Juda, and for all the Israelites of Juda and Benjamin.

Thus saith the Lord: You shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: let every man return to his own house, for by my will this thing has been done. And when they heard the word of the Lord, they returned, and did not go against Jeroboam,

Hæc dicit Dominus: Non ascendetis, neque pugnabitis contra fratres vestros: revertatur unusquisque in domum suam, quia mea hoc gestum est voluntate. Qui cum audissent sermonem Domini, reversi sunt, nec perrexerunt contra Jeroboam.

You are not to march out, the Lord says, and make war upon your own brethren; go home, every man of you; all this is my doing. Learning that this was the Lord’s will, all went home, and never marched out against Jeroboam.

And Roboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built walled cities in Juda.

Habitavit autem Roboam in Jerusalem, et ædificavit civitates muratas in Juda.

Roboam had his capital at Jerusalem, but there were many other cities in Juda he fortified,

And he built Bethlehem, and Etam, and Thecue,

Exstruxitque Bethlehem, et Etam, et Thecue,

Bethlehem, Etam, Thecue,

And Bethsur, and Socho, and Odollam,

Bethsur quoque, et Socho, et Odollam,

Bethsur, Socho, Odollam,

And Geth, and Maresa, and Ziph,

necnon et Geth, et Maresa, et Ziph,

Geth, Maresa, Ziph,

And Aduram, and Lachis, and Azecha,

sed et Aduram, et Lachis, et Azeca,

Aduram, Lachis, Azecha,

Saraa also, and Aialon, and Hebron, which are in Juda and Benjamin, well fenced cities.

Saraa quoque, et Ajalon, et Hebron, quæ erant in Juda et Benjamin, civitates munitissimas.

Saraa, Aialon and Hebron. All these cities of Juda and Benjamin were fastnesses of his,

And when he had enclosed them with walls, he put in them governors and storehouses of provisions, that is, of oil and of wine.

Cumque clausisset eas muris, posuit in eis principes, ciborumque horrea, hoc est, olei, et vini.

each of them walled about, and furnished with a commander, and stores of food, wine and oil,

Moreover in every city he made an armoury of shields and spears, and he fortified them with great diligence, and he reigned over Juda, and Benjamin,

Sed et in singulis urbibus fecit armamentarium scutorum et hastarum, firmavitque eas summa diligentia, et imperavit super Judam et Benjamin.

and an armoury full of shields and spears; no pains did he spare in making them secure. Juda and Benjamin were his subjects,

And the priests and Levites, that were in all Israel, came to him out of all their seats,

Sacerdotes autem et Levitæ qui erant in universo Israël, venerunt ad eum de cunctis sedibus suis,

and from their homes in every part of Israel the priests and Levites rallied to him.

Leaving their suburbs, and their possessions, and passing over to Juda, and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off, from executing the priestly office to the Lord.

relinquentes suburbana et possessiones suas, et transeuntes ad Judam et Jerusalem: eo quod abjecisset eos Jeroboam et posteri ejus, ne sacerdotio Domini fungerentur.

Precincts and lands must be left behind, to Juda and Jerusalem they must betake themselves, now that Jeroboam and his heirs would have none of their divinely appointed ministrations;

And he made to himself priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

Qui constituit sibi sacerdotes excelsorum, et dæmoniorum, vitulorumque quos fecerat.

Jeroboam must have his own priests, to serve the hill-shrines, and the devil-gods, and the calves he had made.

Moreover out of all the tribes of Israel, whosoever gave their heart to seek the Lord the God of Israel, came into Jerusalem to sacrifice their victims before the Lord the God of their fathers.

Sed et de cunctis tribubus Israël, quicumque dederant cor suum ut quærerent Dominum Deum Israël, venerunt in Jerusalem ad immolandum victimas suas coram Domino Deo patrum suorum.

Nay, in all the tribes of Israel there were dedicated hearts that had recourse still to the Lord God of Israel; these, when they had victims to offer, would present themselves at Jerusalem, before the Lord God of their fathers.

And they strengthened the kingdom of Juda, and established Roboam the son of Solomon for three years: for they walked in the ways of David and of Solomon, only three years.

Et roboraverunt regnum Juda, et confirmaverunt Roboam filium Salomonis per tres annos: ambulaverunt enim in viis David et Salomonis, annis tantum tribus.

These added strength to the kingdom of Juda, and lent courage to Roboam, the son of Solomon, but only for three years. Only for three years did they follow loyally in the steps of David and Solomon.

And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai.

Duxit autem Roboam uxorem Mahalath filiam Jerimoth filii David: Abihail quoque filiam Eliab filii Isai,

Roboam married, first Mahalath, daughter of David’s son Jerimoth, then Abihail, daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab,

And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom.

quæ peperit ei filios Jehus, et Somoriam, et Zoom.

the mother of Jehus, Somoria and Zoöm,

And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith.

Post hanc quoque accepit Maacha filiam Absalom, quæ peperit ei Abia, et Ethai, et Ziza, et Salomith.

then Absalom’s daughter Maacha, who bore him Abia, Ethai, Ziza and Salomith.

And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives, and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he begot eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters.

Amavit autem Roboam Maacha filiam Absalom super omnes uxores suas et concubinas: nam uxores decem et octo duxerat, concubinas autem sexaginta: et genuit viginti octo filios, et sexaginta filias.

Roboam had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, who bore him twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters; but Maacha, Absalom’s daughter, he loved best of all.

But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king,

Constituit vero in capite Abiam filium Maacha ducem super omnes fratres suos: ipsum enim regem facere cogitabat,

And it was to Maacha’s son Abia that he gave the foremost place among the royal princes, meaning to make him king.

Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.

quia sapientior fuit, et potentior super omnes filios ejus, et in cunctis finibus Juda et Benjamin, et in universis civitatibus muratis: præbuitque eis escas plurimas, et multas petivit uxores.

This prince was abler than the rest, and had more influence up and down Juda and Benjamin, as well as in the garrison cities. All alike must be well cared for, and wives a many found for the royal house.