And Roboam took to wife Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David: and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Isai. 19And they bore him sons Jehus, and Somorias, and Zoom. 20And after her he married Maacha the daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abia, and Ethai, and Ziza, and Salomith. 21And Roboam loved Maacha the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and concubines: for he had married eighteen wives, and threescore concubines: and he begot eight and twenty sons, and threescore daughters. 22But he put at the head of them Abia the son of Maacha to be the chief ruler over all his brethren: for he meant to make him king, 23Because he was wiser and mightier than all his sons, and in all the countries of Juda, and of Benjamin, and in all the walled cities: and he gave them provisions in abundance, and he sought many wives.