2 Chronicles 12

King James Version

Full text for 2 Chronicles Chapter 12

1¶ And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.

2And it came to pass, [that] in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD,

3With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people [were] without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

4And he took the fenced cities which [pertained] to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

5Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and [to] the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

6Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD [is] righteous.

7And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; [therefore] I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

8Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

9So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

10Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed [them] to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.

11And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.

12And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy [him] altogether: and also in Judah things went well.

13¶ So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam [was] one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name [was] Naamah an Ammonitess.

14And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.

15Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, [are] they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And [there were] wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

16And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

King Rehoboam and Judah forsook the law of the Lord, leading to an invasion by Shishak of Egypt in Rehoboam's fifth year. When Rehoboam and the princes humbled themselves, the Lord granted partial deliverance, preventing total destruction, though Shishak plundered Jerusalem's treasures. Rehoboam replaced the stolen golden shields with brass, and despite this period of humility, he ultimately did evil by not preparing his heart to seek the Lord.

Medium Summary

After establishing his kingdom, King Rehoboam and all Israel turned away from the law of the Lord. Consequently, in Rehoboam's fifth year, Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah with a vast army, capturing fortified cities and advancing on Jerusalem. The prophet Shemaiah declared that this invasion was divine judgment for their transgression, prompting Rehoboam and the princes to humble themselves before the Lord, acknowledging His righteousness. Seeing their humility, the Lord promised not to utterly destroy them but allowed them to become Shishak's servants, so they might discern the difference between divine service and earthly dominion. Shishak plundered the Temple and the king's palace, taking all treasures, including Solomon's golden shields, which Rehoboam replaced with brass. Despite this period of divine mercy and partial deliverance, Rehoboam's reign was marked by continuous war with Jeroboam, and he ultimately did evil by failing to prepare his heart to seek the Lord.

Long Summary

Upon strengthening his kingdom, King Rehoboam, along with all Israel, abandoned the law of the Lord. This transgression led to a significant punitive invasion in his fifth regnal year by Shishak, king of Egypt, who advanced with a formidable force of chariots, horsemen, and innumerable foot soldiers, including Lubims, Sukkiims, and Ethiopians. Shishak successfully captured Judah's fortified cities and proceeded to Jerusalem. In response, the prophet Shemaiah confronted Rehoboam and the gathered princes, declaring the Lord's judgment: "Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak." This divine pronouncement prompted a collective act of humility from the princes of Israel and the king, who confessed, "The LORD is righteous." Observing their repentance, the Lord communicated through Shemaiah that He would not utterly destroy them but would grant some deliverance, ensuring His wrath would not be fully poured out upon Jerusalem by Shishak's hand. Nevertheless, they were to become Shishak's servants, a consequence intended to teach them the distinction between the Lord's service and the service of earthly kingdoms. Shishak then entered Jerusalem, seizing the vast treasures from both the house of the Lord and the king's house, including the golden shields crafted by Solomon. Rehoboam subsequently replaced these precious items with shields of brass, entrusting them to the chief of the guard. The chapter notes that Rehoboam's act of humbling himself led to the turning away of the Lord's wrath, preventing complete destruction, and indicating a period where "in Judah things went well." Rehoboam continued to reign in Jerusalem for seventeen years, having begun at forty-one years old, in the city chosen by the Lord to place His name. However, despite moments of humility, the text concludes that Rehoboam "did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD." His reign was also characterized by continuous wars with Jeroboam, and his acts are recorded in the historical accounts of Shemaiah and Iddo. Rehoboam eventually died and was buried in the city of David, succeeded by his son Abijah.

Core Concepts

  • Divine RetributionThe chapter illustrates that Rehoboam and Judah's forsaking of the Lord's law directly led to Shishak's invasion, demonstrating God's judgment upon disobedience.
  • Humility and DeliveranceWhen Rehoboam and the princes humbled themselves before the Lord, acknowledging His righteousness, God mitigated His wrath and granted partial deliverance, preventing total destruction.
  • Consequences of DisobedienceDespite partial deliverance, the people were made servants to Shishak and lost their treasures, serving as a lesson to understand the difference between serving the Lord and serving earthly kingdoms.
  • Loss of GloryThe replacement of Solomon's golden shields with brass ones symbolizes the diminished glory and wealth of the kingdom following the plundering by Shishak.
  • Heart's PreparationThe concluding assessment of Rehoboam's reign highlights that his ultimate failure was not preparing his heart to seek the Lord, indicating the importance of inner devotion over outward acts.
  • Historical RecordThe chapter references the "book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer" as sources for Rehoboam's acts, emphasizing the importance of prophetic and historical documentation in Israel.