2 Chronicles 12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Egypt Attacks Judah
12 When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he grew strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, he and all Israel with him.(A) 2 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem(B) 3 with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand cavalry. A countless army came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkiim, and Cushites.(C) 4 He took the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the officers of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak and said to them, “Thus says the Lord: You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.”(D) 6 Then the officers of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is in the right.”(E) 7 When the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.(F) 8 Nevertheless, they shall be his servants, so that they may know the difference between serving me and serving the kingdoms of other lands.”(G)
9 So King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made,(H) 10 but King Rehoboam made in place of them shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard who kept the door of the king’s house. 11 Whenever the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard would come along bearing them and would then bring them back to the guardroom. 12 Because he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy them completely; moreover, conditions were good in Judah.(I)
Death of Rehoboam
13 So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.(J) 14 He did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.(K)
15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of the prophet Shemaiah and of the seer Iddo, recorded by genealogy? There were continual wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.(L) 16 Rehoboam slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David, and his son Abijah succeeded him.(M)
2 Chronicles 12
International Standard Version
Shishak Invades Judah(A)
12 At the height of his power, after he had consolidated his rule, Rehoboam abandoned the Lord’s Law, along with all of Israel with him. 2 Because he had been unfaithful to the Lord, during the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem 3 with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 cavalry. The Lubim, Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians who invaded from Egypt with Shishak[a] were innumerable. 4 Shishak[b] captured the fortified cities of Judah and invaded as far as Jerusalem.
5 Right then, Shemaiah the prophet approached Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered together in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he told them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You abandoned me, so I’ve abandoned you to Shishak.’”
6 In response, the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and declared, “The Lord is righteous.”
7 When the Lord observed that they had humbled themselves, the Lord spoke to Shemaiah, “They have humbled themselves, so I won’t destroy them. Instead, I’ll grant them some deliverance by not pouring out my indignation on Jerusalem, using Shishak to do it. 8 Nevertheless, they will become his slaves so they may learn to differentiate between what it means to serve me and to serve the kingdoms of these nations.” 9 So King Shishak of Egypt invaded Jerusalem and looted the treasure stores in the Lord’s Temple and in the royal palace. He took everything, including the golden shields that Solomon had made. 10 After this, King Rehoboam made shields out of bronze to take their place, committing them to the care and custody of the commanders of those who guarded the entrance to the royal palace. 11 As often as the king entered the Lord’s Temple, the guards came and transported the shields[c] to the Temple[d] and then brought them back to the guard’s quarters. 12 After he had humbled himself, the Lord stopped being angry with him, and did not destroy Rehoboam[e] completely. Furthermore, conditions became good in Judah.
The Death of Rehoboam(B)
13 King Rehoboam consolidated his reign in Jerusalem. Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that that Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to establish his name. Rehoboam’s mother was Naamah from Ammon. 14 He practiced evil by not setting his heart to seek the Lord. 15 Now Rehoboam’s accomplishments, from first to last, are written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, enrolled by genealogy, are they not? 16 Later, Rehoboam died, as had his ancestors, and his son Abijah became king to replace him.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 12:3 Lit. him
- 2 Chronicles 12:4 Lit. He
- 2 Chronicles 12:11 Lit. transported them
- 2 Chronicles 12:11 The Heb. lacks to the temple
- 2 Chronicles 12:12 Lit. him
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
