II Chronicles

When the kingship of Rehoboam was firmly established, and he grew strong, he abandoned the Teaching of GOD, he and all Israel with him.

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt marched against Jerusalem—for they had trespassed against GOD—

with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 ridersariders Or “horses”; see note at 8.6. and innumerable troops who came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.

He took the fortified towns of Judah and advanced on Jerusalem.

The prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and the officers of Judah, who had assembled in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus said GOD: You have abandoned Me, so I am abandoning you to Shishak.”

Then the officers of Israel and the king humbled themselves and declared, “GOD is in the right.”

When GOD saw that they had submitted, the word of GOD came to Shemaiah, saying, “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.

They will be subject to him, and they will know the difference between serving Me and serving the kingdoms of the earth.” King Shishak of Egypt marched against Jerusalem.

bCf. 1 Kings 14.26–31. He took away the treasures of the House of GOD and the treasures of the royal palace; he took away everything; he took away the golden shields that Solomon had made.

King Rehoboam had bronze shields made in their place, and entrusted them to the officers of the guardcguard Lit. “runners.” who guarded the entrance to the royal palace.

Whenever the king entered the House of GOD, the guards would carry them and then bring them back to the armory of the guards.

After he had humbled himself, the anger of GOD was averted and he was not destroyed entirely; in Judah, too, good things were found.

King Rehoboam grew strong in Jerusalem and exercised kingship. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem—the city GOD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to establish a templeda temple Lit. “His name,” i.e., the temple bearing GOD’s name. there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

He did what was wrong, for he had not set his heart to seek GOD.

The deeds of Rehoboam, early and late, are recorded in the chronicles of the prophet Shemaiah and Iddo the seer, in the manner of genealogy. There was continuous war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. His son Abijah succeeded him as king.