Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

TET ט

Shishak Attacks Jerusalem

12 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he had become strong, that he and all Israel with him forsook the Torah of Adonai. ² It so happened that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt marched against Jerusalem—because they had been unfaithful to Adonai— ³ with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen and innumerable troops that came with him from Egypt: Lybians, Sukkites and Cushites. ⁴ He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

⁵ Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the officers of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says Adonai:

‘You have abandoned Me—

so I also have abandoned you

into the hand of Shishak.’”

⁶ Then the officers of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “Adonai is just.”

⁷ But when Adonai saw that they humbled themselves, the word of Adonai came to Shemaiah saying: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath will not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. ⁸ However, they will become subjects to him so that they may learn the difference between serving Me and serving the kings of the earth.”

⁹ So Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the House of Adonai and the treasures of the king’s palace. He took away everything; he even took away the golden shields that Solomon had made. ¹⁰ So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and entrusted them to the hands of the captains of the royal guard that guarded the entrance to the royal palace. ¹¹ Whenever the king entered into the House of Adonai, the guards would carry them and then bring them back into the guard chamber. ¹² Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the anger of Adonai turned from him and He did not destroy him completely. Indeed there were good things in Judah.

⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. ⁸ Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace—not by foods that have not benefited those occupied by them. ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those serving in the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals—whose blood is brought into the Holies by the kohen gadol as an offering for sin—are burned outside the camp. ^{[a] 12} Therefore, to make the people holy through His own blood, Yeshua also suffered outside the gate. ¹³ So let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace. ¹⁴ For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the one that is to come. ¹⁵ Through Yeshua then, let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶ Do not neglect doing good and sharing,^[b] for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as ones who must give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no benefit to you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. ¹⁹ I especially urge you to do this, so that I may be restored to you sooner.

Closing Blessing

²⁰ Now may the God of shalom, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of an everlasting covenant,^[c] our Lord Yeshua, ²¹ make you complete in every good thing to do His will, accomplishing in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Messiah Yeshua. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.