Rehoboam’s Reign over Judah

21  Now Rehoboam son of Solomon ruled in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel to be his home. His mother was an Ammonite woman named Naamah.

22  Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord. They made him more jealous by their sins than their ancestors had done. 23  They even built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 24  There were also male cultic prostitutes in the land. They committed the same horrible sins as the nations that the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.

25  In King Rehoboam’s fifth year, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. 26  He took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including all the golden shields that Solomon had made. 27  King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the royal guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace. 28  Whenever the king visited the Lord’s temple, the royal guard carried them and then brought them back to the guardroom.

29  The rest of the events of Rehoboam’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 30  Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other. 31  Rehoboam passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. His son Abijah replaced him as king.

15  In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king over Judah. 2  He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Maacah, the daughter of Abishalom. 3  He followed all the sinful practices of his father before him. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had been. 4  Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem. 5  He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite. 6  Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah’s lifetime. 7  The rest of the events of Abijah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. Abijah and Jeroboam had been at war with each other. 8  Abijah passed away and was buried in the city of David. His son Asa replaced him as king.