The Second Book of the Chronicles
2 Chronicles 12
Chapter XII · Vol. II, pp. 857–859
1 Rehoboam, forsaking the Lord, is punished by Shishak's invasion. 5 He and the princes repenting at the preaching of Shemaiah, are delivered from destruction, but not from spoil. 13 The reign and death of Rehoboam.
1 And it came to pass, awhen Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, band all Israel with him.
A.M. 3034. B.C. 970.
a ch.11.11,17. 1 Ki.14.22. De.32.15. Pr.2.13. Je.2.13.
b 1 Ki.12.17; 14.22. Pr.29.11. The two tribes over which he reigned, as the other ten had done before.
2 And it came to pass, that, in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, cShishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD,1
c 1 Ki.14.25,26. Ju.2.13.
1 That is, Shishak was permitted, given over, to follow his own ambitious course of foreign conquest, and Rehoboam and his kingdom adjudged for their idolatry to suffer all the evils of invasion.—C.
3 With dtwelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the eLubims,2 the Sukkiims,3 and the Ethiopians.4
d Ju.4.13. 1 Sa.13.5. 2 Sa.10.18. 1 Ch.17.18.
e Eze.30.5. Na.3.9. All Africans.
2 Lubims, most probably the people called Libyans, a people of north-eastern Africa. C.——Originally the Lubims were dependent on the Egyptians or Mitzraim. They multiplied greatly, however, and became a great and powerful nation. Less civilized than the Egyptians, they were more attached to the arts of war than of peace. Being chiefly pastoral, they roamed over a very large section of northern Africa, and gave their name to a region supposed by ancient geographers to extend from the Nile to the Atlantic, and from the Mediterranean to the equator.—P.
3 Sukkiims, rendered by the Septuagint Troglodytæ, or dwellers in caves, inhabitants of the mountain range on the west of the Red Sea, where Burkhardt seems to have found their descendants in the tribe called Bishareen. C.——I am more inclined to the opinion that the Sukkiim were a nomad people, and were so called because of their living in tents (succoth). They probably pastured their flocks along the western borders of the valley of the Nile.—P.
4 Ethiopians, the descendants of Cush, some of whom dwelt on the Asiatic, others had migrated to the African side of the Red Sea.—C.
5 Then came gShemaiah 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, hYe have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
g ch.11.2. 1 Ki.12.22.
h ver.1-4; ch.15.2. De.28.25,48,52. Je.2.13,19; 4.18; 5.19; 16.10,11. Am.3.2.
6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king ihumbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous.
i Ps.78.34-38; 50.15. 1 Ki.21.29; 8.37,39. ver.12; ch.33.12,13; 32.26. Ex.9.27. Le.26.40. Ho.5.15.
7 And 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 some5 deliverance; and my wrath6 shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
5 Or, a little while.
6 All my wrath.
8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know kmy service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.7
k De.28.47,48. Is.26.13. Je.10.24. Ps.89.31.
7 That they may know the difference of the two services by experience.—C.
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away lthe 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 mmade.
l 1 Ki.14.26; 15.18; 7.51. 2 Ki.16.8; 18.15. 1 Ch.26.20-28.
m ch.9.15. 1 Ki.10.16,17.
10 Instead of which nking 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.8
8 B.C. 968.
11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard-chamber.
12 And owhen he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: pand also in Judah things went well.
A.M. 3036. B.C. 968.
o Le.26.40-45. 1 Ki.21.29. Pr.28.13. La.3.33,39-42.
p Or, and yet in Judah there were good things, Ge.18.24. Is.6.13; 65.8. Mat.24.22. Ho.11.12.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for qRehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city rwhich 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.
q 1 Ki.14.21.
r De.12.5,11. ch.6.6; 7.12,16; 33.4,7. Ps.78.68; 48.1,2; 76.1,2; 132.13,14.
14 And he did evil, because he sprepared9 not his heart to tseek the LORD.
s Or, fixed, Ps.78.37. Ho.10.2. Mat.7.18.
9 The marginal translation is best, 'because he fixed not his heart' steadily and permanently in God's service. Being double-minded, he was unstable; being shallow of principle, the seed of repentance that sprung in the hour of trouble withered in the hour of prosperity, Ja. 1.8. Mat.13.21.—C.
Notes
[Ver. 2. Shishak has been satisfactorily identified with Sesouchis, the first king of the Diospolitan dynasty. The name is found on Egyptian monuments in the form Sheshouk. In the temple of Karnak there is a large bas-relief portrait of the monarch presenting to the gods the chiefs of vanquished nations, among whom is one with the peculiar Jewish physiognomy, and the attached inscription has been rendered by Champollion 'King of Judæa.' P.]
Reflections.—They who in adversity appear faithful for God often forsake him in their prosperity. Nay, earthly prosperity is a common occasion of ruin to the soul. Human supports and fenced cities prove but refuges of lies when God withdraws or becomes our destroyer. And to punish men's sins, he often turns their old friends, or even relations, into inveterate enemies. God's word comes to men with peculiar advantage when awakening providences concur with it: and stupid and self-conceited sinners must have the plainest providences explained to them before they understand them. They whom the Lord hath left ought to blame themselves as the guilty cause, and to humble themselves under his mighty hand: for it is vain to project means of defence if we continue unhumbled for our sins. The greatest kings and princes must either be humbled or ruined: and we are never humbled aright till we justify God in our sufferings. But how God's bowels yearn towards repenting prodigals! How forward he is to meet them with merciful deliverances who humble themselves before him! Whenever we have hearts humbled under troubles they have done their work, and shall either be removed or have their nature altered into tokens of kindness. And it is a great mercy to a sinful people if God but grant a partial deliverance. It is well if the guilt be removed, though we should smart in the flesh for it. They who reckon God a hard master, and his service burdensome, will find the slavery and wages of their lusts but a miserable exchange. It is far more honourable and safe to endure the utmost hardships in obeying God than to risk the punishments of disobedience. But how easily God can restrain the fury of the most outrageous conquerors by his invisible arm, and set limits to their ravages! and happy is it when, in evil times, he preserves a remnant for himself. Judgments which make us learn righteousness are mercies in disguise. But if our heart be not engaged in the service of God all is naught. They who never had their heart fixed to him, and never made real religion their principal business, are easily drawn to anything evil. Though God's judgments may force men to their prayers, nothing but almighty grace can convert them to himself. And, alas! how many in his church do but cumber the ground while they live, and in a moment go down to their grave!