2 Chronicles 12

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) · English

1 After Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he and all Israel with him forsook the Law of the LORD. 2 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem 3 with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and countless troops who came with him out of Egypt—Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. 4 He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You have forsaken Me; therefore, I have forsaken you into the hand of Shishak.’” 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 word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but will soon grant them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. 8 Nevertheless, they will become his servants, so that they may learn the difference between serving Me and serving the kings of other lands.” 9 So King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made. 10 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them to the care of the captains of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. 11 And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD, the guards would go with him, bearing the shields, and later they would return them to the guardroom. 12 Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the anger of the LORD turned away from him, and He did not destroy him completely. Indeed, conditions were good in Judah. 13 Thus King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. 14 And Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD. 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer concerning the genealogies? There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days. 16 And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. And his son Abijah reigned in his place.

Commentary — not Bible text

2 Chronicles 12:1

Introduction

Rehoboam and his subjects, forsaking the Lord, are delivered into the hands of Shishak, king of Egypt, 2Chr 12:1-4. Shemaiah the prophet remonstrates with them, and they humble themselves, and Jerusalem is not destroyed; but Shishak takes away all the treasures, and the golden shields, instead of which Rehoboam makes shields of brass, 2Chr 12:5-12. He reigns badly seventeen years, dies, and is succeeded by his son Abijah, 2Chr 12:13-16.

Verse 1

He forsook the law of the Lord - This was after the three years mentioned 2Chr 11:17.

2 Chronicles 12:2

Verse 2

Shishak king of Egypt - Concerning this man, and the motive which led him to attack the Jews, see the note on 1Kgs 14:31.

Transgressed against the Lord - "Against the Word of the Lord." - Targum.

2 Chronicles 12:3-5

Verse 3

The Lubims - Supposed to be a people of Libya, adjoining to Egypt; sometimes called Phut in Scripture, as the people are called Lehabim and Ludim.

The Sukkiims - The Troglodytes, a people of Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. They were called Troglodytes, Τρωγλοδυται, οἱ τας τρωγλας οικουντες, "because they dwelt in caves." - Hesych. This agrees with what Pliny says of them, Troglodytae specus excavant, haec illis domus; "The Troglodytes dig themselves caves; and these serve them for houses." This is not very different from the import of the original name סכיים Sukkiyim, from סכה sachah, to cover or overspread; (hence סוך such, a tabernacle); the people who were covered (emphatically) under the earth. The Septuagint translate by the word Τρωγλοδυται, Troglodytes.

The Ethiopians - כושים Cushim. Various people were called by this name, particularly a people bordering on the northern coast of the Red Sea; but these are supposed to have come from a country of that name on the south of Egypt.

2 Chronicles 12:6-7

Verse 6

Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves - This is not mentioned in the parallel place, 1Kgs 14:25-29 : this was the sole reason why Jerusalem was not at this time totally destroyed, and the house of David entirely cut off; for they were totally incapable of defending themselves against this innumerable host.

2 Chronicles 12:8

Verse 8

They shall be his servants - They shall be preserved, and serve their enemies, that they may see the difference between the service of God and that of man. While they were pious, they found the service of the Lord to be perfect freedom; when they forsook the Lord, they found the fruit to be perfect bondage. A sinful life is both expensive and painful.

2 Chronicles 12:9-12

Verse 9

Took away the treasures - Such a booty as never had before, nor has since, come into the hand of man.

The shields of gold - These shields were the mark of the king's body-guard: it was in imitation of this Eastern magnificence that Alexander constituted his Argyraspides, adorned with the spoils taken from Darius. See Quintus Curtius, lib. viii., c. 5, et alibi.

2 Chronicles 12:13-14

Verse 13

Was one and forty years old - Houbigant thinks he was but sixteen years old when he began to reign; and brings many and forcible arguments to prove that the number forty-one must be a mistake. That he was young when he came to the throne, is evident from his consulting the young men that were brought up with him, 2Chr 10:8, 2Chr 10:10. They were young men then; and if he was brought up with them, he must have been young then also. Besides, Abijah, in his speech to Jeroboam, 2Chr 13:7, says that at the time Rehoboam came to the throne he was tender-hearted, and therefore could not withstand the children of Belial raised up against him by Jeroboam: but surely at that time no man could be reputed young and tender-hearted - quite devoid of experience, who was above forty years of age. Besides, if this reading were allowed, it would prove that he was born before his father Solomon began to reign, for Solomon reigned only forty years, and Rehoboam immediately succeeded him.

2 Chronicles 12:15

Verse 15

Concerning genealogies - "In the book of the genealogy of the family of David." - Targum.

2 Chronicles 12:16

Verse 16

Abijah his son - Concerning the many varieties in this king's name, see the note on 1Kgs 14:31.

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