Aa
Shishak’s Invasion
1When Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power,12:1 2Ch 11:17; 12:13 he abandoned the law of the Lord — he and all Israel with him.
2Because they were unfaithful to the Lord, in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak12:2 1Kg 11:40 of Egypt went to war against Jerusalem12:2 1Kg 14:25
3with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 cavalrymen, and countless people who came with him from Egypt — Libyans,12:3 2Ch 16:8; Nah 3:9 Sukkiim, and Cushites.
4He captured the fortified cities12:4 2Ch 11:5–12 of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.
5Then the prophet Shemaiah12:5 2Ch 11:2 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 to Shishak.”12:5 Dt 28:15,25; 2Ch 15:2
6So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.”12:6 Ex 9:27; Dn 9:14
7When 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.12:7 1Kg 21:29 My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.12:7 2Ch 34:25–27; Ps 78:38
8However, they will become his servants so that they may recognize the difference between serving me and serving the kingdoms of other lands.”12:8 Dt 28:47–48
9So King Shishak of Egypt went to war12:9–11 1Kg 14:25–28 against Jerusalem.12:9 2Ch 12:2 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.12:9 2Ch 9:15–16
10King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and committed them into the care of the captains of the guards12:10 Lit the runners who protected the entrance to the king’s palace.
11Whenever the king entered the Lord’s temple, the guards would carry the shields and take them back to the armory.12:11 Lit the chamber of the runners
12When Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord’s anger turned away from him, and he did not destroy him completely.12:12 2Ch 12:6–7 Besides that, conditions were good in Judah.12:12 2Ch 19:3
Rehoboam’s Last Days
13King Rehoboam12:13–14 1Kg 14:21–22 established his royal power in Jerusalem. Rehoboam 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 to put his name.12:13 Dt 12:5; 1Kg 9:3 Rehoboam’s mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.
14Rehoboam did what was evil, because he did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord.12:14 2Ch 19:3
15The events12:15–16 1Kg 14:29–31 of Rehoboam’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Events of the Prophet Shemaiah12:15 2Ch 12:5 and of the Seer Iddo concerning genealogies.12:15 2Ch 9:29; 13:22 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their reigns.
16Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. His son Abijah12:16 = Abijam in 1Kg 14:31–15:812:16 1Kg 14:31–15:8 became king in his place.