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Rechav‘am lived in Yerushalayim and built cities for defense in Y'hudah —

The L'vi'im left their pasture lands and property and came to Y'hudah and Yerushalayim; since Yarov‘am and his sons had thrown them out, not allowing them to function as cohanim for Adonai ,

and had appointed for himself cohanim for the high places and for the images of goat-demons and calves that he had made.

For three years they strengthened the kingdom of Y'hudah and made Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo strong, because for three years they followed the way of life of David and Shlomo.

Rechav‘am loved Ma‘akhah more than all his other wives and concubines — for he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines and was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

He was wise in his treatment of his sons, sending all of them throughout the territory of Y'hudah and Binyamin, to every fortified city, providing them with plenty of supplies and seeking for them many wives.

There rallied around him worthless brutes who were too strong for Rechav‘am the son of Shlomo to withstand when he was young and inexperienced.

Now you expect to withstand the kingdom of Adonai in the hands of the descendants of David. Yes, there are a great number of you, and you have with you the gold calves that Yarov‘am made as gods for you.

"But we are different. Adonai is our God, and we have not abandoned him. We have cohanim performing the service for Adonai , descendants of Aharon. With the L'vi'im doing their work,

they burn to Adonai every morning and evening burnt offerings and sweet incense; they arrange the showbread on the pure table, and they prepare the gold menorah with its lamps to burn every evening. For we observe the order of Adonai our God. But you have abandoned him.

Other activities of Aviyah, together with his ways of doing things and his sayings, are recorded in the commentary of the prophet ‘Iddo. Aviyah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Asa his son became king in his place; during his time the land was quiet for ten years.

for he removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashing the standing-stones and chopping down the sacred poles.

He removed the high places and pillars for sun-worship from all the cities of Y'hudah, and under him the kingdom was quiet.

"Let's build these cities," he said to Y'hudah; "we'll surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars. The land is there for us to use, because we have sought Adonai our God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side." So they built and prospered.

Asa went out to fight him, and the forces were arranged for battle in the Tz'fat Valley at Mareshah.

Then they attacked all the cities in the vicinity of G'rar, for a panic from Adonai had overcome them. They plundered all the cities, for they were full of spoil.

Asa did what was good and right from the perspective of Adonai his God; for he removed the foreign altars and the high places, smashing the standing-stones and chopping down the sacred poles. He ordered Y'hudah to seek Adonai , the God of their ancestors, and to obey the Torah and the mitzvah. He removed the high places and pillars for sun-worship from all the cities of Y'hudah, and under him the kingdom was quiet. Because the land was quiet, and he had no war during those years, since Adonai had given him rest, he built fortified cities in Y'hudah. "Let's build these cities," he said to Y'hudah; "we'll surround them with walls, towers, gates and bars. The land is there for us to use, because we have sought Adonai our God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side." So they built and prospered. Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Y'hudah, equipped with shields and spears, and another 280,000 from Binyamin, with shields and bows; all were brave, strong men. Zerach the Ethiopian came out to attack them with an army of one million and three hundred chariots. When he arrived at Mareshah, Asa went out to fight him, and the forces were arranged for battle in the Tz'fat Valley at Mareshah. Asa cried out to Adonai his God, " Adonai , there is no one besides yourself, strong or weak, who can help. Help us, Adonai our God, because we are relying on you, and we are coming against this vast throng in your name. You are Adonai our God; don't let human beings stop you!" So Adonai struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Y'hudah, and the Ethiopians fled. Asa and the army with him pursued them to G'rar, and the Ethiopians were defeated beyond recovery; they were shattered before Adonai and his army, who carried off much spoil. Then they attacked all the cities in the vicinity of G'rar, for a panic from Adonai had overcome them. They plundered all the cities, for they were full of spoil. They also attacked the tents of those tending the livestock and carried off sheep and camels in abundance. Then they returned to Yerushalayim.

For a long time Isra'el was without the true God, without a cohen who could teach, and without Torah.

But you, be strong, and don't slack off; for your work will be rewarded."

Then he gathered all Y'hudah and Binyamin, along with those from Efrayim, M'nasheh and Shim‘on who were staying with him (for they had defected to him in large numbers upon seeing that Adonai his God was with him).