2 Chronicles 12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 12
Rehoboam’s Apostasy. 1 Once Rehoboam had established himself as king and was firmly in charge, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and so did all Israel with him.(A) 2 So in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak, king of Egypt, attacked Jerusalem, for they had acted treacherously toward the Lord.(B) 3 He had twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen, and there was no counting the army that came with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkites,[a] and Ethiopians. 4 They captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then Shemaiah(C) the prophet came to Rehoboam and the commanders of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them: “Thus says the Lord: You have abandoned me, and so I have abandoned you to the power of Shishak.”
6 Then the commanders of Israel and the king humbled themselves saying, “The Lord is in the right.” 7 When the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: Because they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them; I will give them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem through Shishak. 8 But they shall be his servants. Then they will know what it is to serve me and what it is to serve the kingdoms of the earth. 9 (D)Thereupon Shishak, king of Egypt, attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the house of the king. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made. 10 To replace them, King Rehoboam made bronze shields, which he entrusted to the officers of the attendants on duty at the entrance of the king’s house. 11 Whenever the king visited the house of the Lord, the attendants would carry them, and then return them to the guardroom. 12 Because he had humbled himself, the anger of the Lord turned from him so as not to destroy him completely; in Judah, moreover, there was some good.
13 King Rehoboam was firmly in power in Jerusalem and continued to rule. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city in which, out of all the tribes of Israel, the Lord chose to set his name. His mother’s name was Naamah, the Ammonite.(E) 14 He did evil, for he had not set his heart to seek the Lord. 15 (F)The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are recorded in the history of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer (his family record). There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 16 Rehoboam rested with his ancestors; he was buried in the City of David. His son Abijah[b] succeeded him as king.
Footnotes
- 12:3 Sukkites: foreign mercenaries in the Egyptian army.
- 12:16 Abijah: in 1 Kgs 14:31–15:8 this king is called Abijam.
2 Chronicles 12
New King James Version
Egypt Attacks Judah(A)
12 Now (B)it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that (C)he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel along with him. 2 (D)And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord, 3 with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and people without number who came with him out of Egypt—(E)the Lubim and the Sukkiim and the Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then (F)Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord: ‘You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak.’ ”
6 So the leaders of Israel and the king (G)humbled themselves; and they said, (H)“The Lord is righteous.”
7 Now when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, (I)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. My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless (J)they will be his servants, that they may distinguish (K)My service from the service of the kingdoms of the nations.”
9 (L)So 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 everything. He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had (M)made. 10 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place, and committed them (N)to the hands of the captains of the guard, who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. 11 And whenever the king entered the house of the Lord, the guard would go and bring them out; then they would take them back into the guardroom. 12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.
The End of Rehoboam’s Reign(O)
13 Thus King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now (P)Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, (Q)the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah, an (R)Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
15 The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, (S)and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? (T)And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 16 So Rehoboam [a]rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. Then (U)Abijah[b] his son reigned in his place.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 12:16 Died and joined his ancestors
- 2 Chronicles 12:16 Abijam, 1 Kin. 14:31
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.