2 Chronicles 12

Shishak's Invasion

1 When Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he abandoned the law of the Lord-he and all Israel with him.

2 Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem^[a]

3 with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 cavalrymen, and countless people who came with him from Egypt-Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians.^[b]

4 He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

5 Then Shemaiah the prophet went to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who were gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them: "This is what the Lord says: 'You have abandoned Me; therefore, I have abandoned you into the hand of Shishak.' "^[c]

6 So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, "The Lord is righteous."

7 When the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, the Lord's message came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them but will grant them a little deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.

8 However, they will become his servants so that they may recognize [the difference between] serving Me and serving the kingdoms of the land."

9 So King Shishak of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem.^[d] He seized the treasuries of the Lord's temple and the treasuries of the royal palace. He took everything. He took the gold shields that Solomon had made.^[e]

10 King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them into the care of the captains of the royal escorts^[f] who guarded the entrance to the king's palace.

11 Whenever the king entered the Lord's temple, the royal escorts would carry the shields and take them back to the royal escorts' armory.^[g]

12 When Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord's anger turned away from him, and He did not destroy [him] completely. Besides that, conditions were good in Judah.

Rehoboam's Last Days

13 King Rehoboam established his royal power in Jerusalem. Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became king; he reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name.^[h] Rehoboam's mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite.

14 Rehoboam did what was evil, because he did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord.^[i]

15 The events of Rehoboam's [reign], from beginning to end, are written about in the Events of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer concerning genealogies.^[j] There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their reigns.

16 Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Abijah^[k] became king in his place.^[l]

2 Chronicles 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Rehoboam, forsaking the Lord, is punished.

- When Rehoboam was so strong that he supposed he had nothing to fear from Jeroboam, he cast off his outward profession of godliness. It is very common, but very lamentable, that men, who in distress or danger, or near death, seem much engaged in seeking and serving God, throw aside all their religion when they have received a merciful deliverance. God quickly brought troubles upon Judah, to awaken the people to repentance, before their hearts were hardened. Thus it becomes us, when we are under the rebukes of Providence, to justify God, and to judge ourselves. If we have humbled hearts under humbling providences, the affliction has done its work; it shall be removed, or the property of it be altered. The more God's service is compared with other services, the more reasonable and easy it will appear. Are the laws of temperance thought hard? The effects of intemperance will be found much harder. The service of God is perfect liberty; the service of our lusts is complete slavery. Rehoboam was never rightly fixed in his religion. He never quite cast off God; yet he engaged not his heart to seek the Lord. See what his fault was; he did not serve the Lord, because he did not seek the Lord. He did not pray, as Solomon, for wisdom and grace; he did not consult the word of God, did not seek to that as his oracle, nor follow its directions. He made nothing of his religion, because he did not set his heart to it, nor ever came up to a steady resolution in it. He did evil, because he never was determined for good.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Kg 14:25
• [b]. Lit Cushites
• [c]. Dt 28:15,25
• [d]. 2 Ch 12:2
• [e]. 2 Ch 9:15-16
• [f]. Lit the runners
• [g]. 1 Kg 14:25-28
• [h]. 1 Kg 9:3; Dt 12:5
• [i]. 1 Kg 14:21-22
• [j]. 2 Ch 9:29; 13:22
• [k]. Abijam; 1 Kg 14:31-15:8
• [l]. 1 Kg 14:29-31

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 12

Rehoboam and his people forsaking the law of the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt is allowed by God to invade his land, and take his fenced cities, 2Ch 12:1-4, upon which a prophet of the Lord was sent to him and his princes, to show them the reason of it; whereupon they humbled themselves, and the Lord was pleased not to allow the enemy utterly to destroy them, yet to reduce them to servitude, and take away their riches, 2Ch 12:5-12, and the chapter is closed with an account of the reign and death of Rehoboam, 2Ch 12:13-16.