INTRODUCTION TO 2 CHRONICLES 12 Rehoboam and his people forsaking the law of the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt is allowed by God to invade his land, and take his fenced cities, 2 Chronicles 12:1, upon which a prophet of the Lord was sent to him and his princes, to show them the reason of it; whereupo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN REHOBOAM HAD ESTABLISHED THE KINGDOM,.... Or when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established; the tribes of Judah and Benjamin being firmly attached to him, and great numbers from the other tribes coming over to him, and things going on peaceably and prosperously during the th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF REHOBOAM,.... In the fourth year, the apostasy of him and his people began; and, in the year following, what is next related happened, as a punishment of it: SHISHAK KING OF EGYPT CAME UP AGAINST JERUSALEM; of whom see 1 Kings 11:40, BECAUSE THEY TRANSGRES... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH TWELVE HUNDRED CHARIOTS, AND THREESCORE THOUSAND HORSEMEN; AND THE PEOPLE WERE WITHOUT NUMBER,.... The foot soldiers; their number, according to Josephus h was 400,000: THAT CAME WITH HIM OUT OF EGYPT; the above numerous army came from thence with him, which was famous for horses and chariots... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK THE FENCED CITIES WHICH PERTAINED TO JUDAH,.... Which Rehoboam had lately built, and placed his sons in them, 2 Chronicles 11:5, these he took without any opposition: AND CAME TO JERUSALEM; there being no army to oppose him; and so Sesostris took many countries without fighting, and amo... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME SHEMAIAH THE PROPHET TO REHOBOAM,.... The same as in 2 Chronicles 11:2, there called the man of God: AND TO THE PRINCES OF JUDAH THAT WERE GATHERED TOGETHER TO JERUSALEM BECAUSE OF SHISHAK; through fear of him, and for safety and protection from him, and to consult what was to be done at... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREUPON THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL AND THE KING HUMBLED THEMSELVES,.... Both by words acknowledging their sins, and the justice of God, and by deeds, perhaps putting on sackcloth, as was usual on such occasions, and betaking themselves to fasting and prayer: AND THEY SAID, THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS; in gi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT THEY HUMBLED THEMSELVES,.... Though but externally; the Lord takes notice of external humiliation, as he did of Ahab's, 1 Kings 21:29, THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO SHEMAIAH, SAYING, THEY HAVE HUMBLED THEMSELVES, THEREFORE I WILL NOT DESTROY THEM; not now, at least not alt... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS, THEY SHALL BE HIS SERVANTS,.... tributaries to the king of Egypt: THAT THEY MAY KNOW MY SERVICE, AND THE SERVICE OF THE KINGDOMS OF THE COUNTRIES; the difference between them, how easy the one, which they might perform without taxes and tributes, and how hard and heavy the other, thro... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 9-11. SO SHISHAK KING OF EGYPT CAME UP AGAINST JERUSALEM,.... The Vulgate Latin version is, "departed from Jerusalem,'' as he did, having taken it, and spoiled it of its riches, and settled a yearly tax on the inhabitants of the land; of this, and the two following verses, 1 Kings 14:26. 1 K... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 12:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 12:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HUMBLED HIMSELF,.... That is, Rehoboam; or broke his heart, as the Targum, was of a contrite spirit seemingly, for it was merely external: THE WRATH OF THE LORD TURNED FROM HIM; which appeared by the departure of Shishak's army: THAT HE WOULD NOT DESTROY HIM ALTOGETHER; or make an utte... [ Continue Reading ]
SO REHOBOAM STRENGTHENED HIMSELF IN JERUSALEM,.... Fortified that yet more for the defence of himself, after Shishak departed: AND REIGNED; twelve years more, for he reigned in all seventeen, and this was in his fifth year; of what follows in this verse, 1 Kings 14:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE DID EVIL,.... Committed idolatry, relapsed into that, his humiliation not being hearty and sincere: BECAUSE HE PREPARED NOT HIS HEART TO SEEK THE LORD; by prayer and supplication, and by an attendance on the service and worship of God; for though he did these things outwardly, yet not sincer... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 15,16. NOW THE ACTS OF REHOBOAM,.... Of these two verses, 1 Kings 14:29. 1 Kings 14:30. 1 Kings 14:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 12:15.... [ Continue Reading ]