Rehoboam first made an attempt to recover the allegiance of the revolted
tribes, and sent his representative to take tribute from them, but he
was promptly killed. Rehoboam then made preparations for war; but he
was admonished to pursue this course no longer by the prophet Shemiah
(1 Kings 12: 21-24).

Rehoboam then turned his attention entirely to his own kingdom, and for
three years left off his former wild and sinful ways, and seemed to give
promise of becoming a good monarch (2 Chron. 11: 17). He busied himself
in fortifying his kingdom by a circuit of fifteen walled cities, thus
protecting it on the south and west.

Three years of this devotion to a wise care of his kingdom was about all
this young man could stand, and he went back to his dissolute ways, and
the bad blood of his heathen mother manifested itself.

Continuing thus for two years, he was then attacked by Shishak, the King
of Egypt, who was a friend of Jeroboam. Judah was invaded, and the
thousand shields of gold which Solomon had made for the display of his
wealth and power, and other treasures of the temple, were carried off.
These shields Rehoboam replaced with shields of brass.

There was a war, on a larger or smaller scale, all the time between the
two kingdoms, until in the reign of Abijah, the son of Rehoboam,
Jeroboam was severely punished by an overwhelming defeat.


JEROBOAM'S FORTIFICATIONS.