¹³ Moreover, the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel stood with him from all their districts.

Jeroboam Appoints False Priests

¹⁴ For ^(A)the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for ^(B)Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the Lord. ^15 (C)He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made. ^16 (D)Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord God of Israel ^[a]followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the Lord God of their fathers. ^17 (E)They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

² He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, ^[a]Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king ^(A)of Israel.