Shemaiah, the man of God. Shemaiah is called “the prophet” (2 Chronicles 12:5) and author of “the book of Shemaiah” (2 Chronicles 12:15). He was the chief influence for good in the reign of Rehoboam.

cities for defence. Interestingly, the defense cities built at this time, were not in the north against Israel, but in the south, against Egypt. Note 2 Chronicles 12:2.

priests and the Levites. The priests and Levites had originally been given cities throughout the various tribal allotments (see Joshua 21:1-42), forty-eight cities altogether, including the cities of refuge. When Jeroboam set up new worship centers in Bethel and Dan (1 Kings 12:29), instead of Jerusalem (where God had commanded all Israelites to center their worship), many of the priests and Levites soon emigrated into the land of Judah. This in turn led many God-fearing families from the other tribes also to move to Judah, or at least to go to Jerusalem to worship God with their sacrifices and offerings (2 Chronicles 11:16). All of this encouraged Rehoboam to “walk in the way of David and Solomon” for at least three fruitful years (2 Chronicles 11:17).

daughter of Absalom. According to 2 Samuel 14:27, Absalom's only daughter was named Tamar. It is possible that Maachah was another name for Tamar. More likely, Maachah was the “granddaughter” of Absalom (the Hebrew word “daughter,” bath, is sufficiently flexible to allow this meaning).