2 Chronicles 12

Darby Translation (DARBY) · English

1 And it came to pass when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and when he had become strong, [that] he forsook the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him. 2 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, because they had transgressed against Jehovah, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, 3 with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen; and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fortified cities that belonged to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. 5 And Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and [to] the princes of Judah that had gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, Thus saith Jehovah: Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. 6 And the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, Jehovah is righteous. 7 And when Jehovah saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Jehovah came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves: I will not destroy them, but I will grant them a little deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. 9 And Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house; he took away all; and he took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made. 10 And king Rehoboam made in their stead shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the couriers who kept the entrance of the king's house. 11 And it was so, that as often as the king entered into the house of Jehovah, the couriers came and fetched them, and brought them again into the chamber of the couriers. 12 And when he humbled himself, the anger of Jehovah turned away from him, that he would not destroy him altogether; and also in Judah there were good things. 13 And king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, for he applied not his heart to seek Jehovah. 15 And the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the words of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer, in the genealogical registers? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

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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