5 Then came H935 Shemaiah H8098 the prophet H5030 to Rehoboam, H7346 and to the princes H8269 of Judah, H3063 that were gathered together H622 to Jerusalem H3389 because H6440 of Shishak, H7895 and said H559 unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Ye have forsaken H5800 me, and therefore have I also H637 left H5800 you in the hand H3027 of Shishak. H7895
But the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to Shemaiah H8098 the man H376 of God, H430 saying, H559
And he went out H3318 to meet H6440 Asa, H609 and said H559 unto him, Hear H8085 ye me, Asa, H609 and all Judah H3063 and Benjamin; H1144 The LORD H3068 is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of you; but if ye forsake H5800 him, he will forsake H5800 you.
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken H8085 unto the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to observe H8104 to do H6213 all his commandments H4687 and his statutes H2708 which I command H6680 thee this day; H3117 that all these curses H7045 shall come H935 upon thee, and overtake H5381 thee: Cursed H779 shalt thou be in the city, H5892 and cursed H779 shalt thou be in the field. H7704 Cursed H779 shall be thy basket H2935 and thy store. H4863 Cursed H779 shall be the fruit H6529 of thy body, H990 and the fruit H6529 of thy land, H127 the increase H7698 of thy kine, H504 and the flocks H6251 of thy sheep. H6629 Cursed H779 shalt thou be when thou comest in, H935 and cursed H779 shalt thou be when thou goest out. H3318 The LORD H3068 shall send H7971 upon thee cursing, H3994 vexation, H4103 and rebuke, H4045 in all that thou settest H4916 thine hand H3027 unto for to do, H6213 until thou be destroyed, H8045 and until thou perish H6 quickly; H4118 because H6440 of the wickedness H7455 of thy doings, H4611 whereby thou hast forsaken H5800 me. The LORD H3068 shall make the pestilence H1698 cleave H1692 unto thee, until he have consumed H3615 thee from off the land, H127 whither thou goest H935 to possess H3423 it. The LORD H3068 shall smite H5221 thee with a consumption, H7829 and with a fever, H6920 and with an inflammation, H1816 and with an extreme burning, H2746 and with the sword, H2719 and with blasting, H7711 and with mildew; H3420 and they shall pursue H7291 thee until thou perish. H6 And thy heaven H8064 that is over thy head H7218 shall be brass, H5178 and the earth H776 that is under thee shall be iron. H1270 The LORD H3068 shall make H5414 the rain H4306 of thy land H776 powder H80 and dust: H6083 from heaven H8064 shall it come down H3381 upon thee, until thou be destroyed. H8045 The LORD H3068 shall cause H5414 thee to be smitten H5062 before H6440 thine enemies: H341 thou shalt go out H3318 one H259 way H1870 against them, and flee H5127 seven H7651 ways H1870 before H6440 them: and shalt be removed H2189 into all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth. H776 And thy carcase H5038 shall be meat H3978 unto all fowls H5775 of the air, H8064 and unto the beasts H929 of the earth, H776 and no man shall fray them away. H2729 The LORD H3068 will smite H5221 thee with the botch H7822 of Egypt, H4714 and with the emerods, H2914 H6076 and with the scab, H1618 and with the itch, H2775 whereof thou canst H3201 not be healed. H7495 The LORD H3068 shall smite H5221 thee with madness, H7697 and blindness, H5788 and astonishment H8541 of heart: H3824 And thou shalt grope H4959 at noonday, H6672 as the blind H5787 gropeth H4959 in darkness, H653 and thou shalt not prosper H6743 in thy ways: H1870 and thou shalt be only oppressed H6231 and spoiled H1497 evermore, H3117 and no man shall save H3467 thee. Thou shalt betroth H781 a wife, H802 and another H312 man H376 shall lie H7901 H7693 with her: thou shalt build H1129 an house, H1004 and thou shalt not dwell H3427 therein: thou shalt plant H5193 a vineyard, H3754 and shalt not gather the grapes H2490 thereof. Thine ox H7794 shall be slain H2873 before thine eyes, H5869 and thou shalt not eat H398 thereof: thine ass H2543 shall be violently taken away H1497 from before thy face, H6440 and shall not be restored H7725 to thee: thy sheep H6629 shall be given H5414 unto thine enemies, H341 and thou shalt have none to rescue H3467 them. Thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 shall be given H5414 unto another H312 people, H5971 and thine eyes H5869 shall look, H7200 and fail H3616 with longing for them all the day H3117 long: and there shall be no might H410 in thine hand. H3027 The fruit H6529 of thy land, H127 and all thy labours, H3018 shall a nation H5971 which thou knowest H3045 not eat up; H398 and thou shalt be only oppressed H6231 and crushed H7533 alway: H3117 So that thou shalt be mad H7696 for the sight H4758 of thine eyes H5869 which thou shalt see. H7200 The LORD H3068 shall smite H5221 thee in the knees, H1290 and in the legs, H7785 with a sore H7451 botch H7822 that cannot H3201 be healed, H7495 from the sole H3709 of thy foot H7272 unto the top of thy head. H6936 The LORD H3068 shall bring H3212 thee, and thy king H4428 which thou shalt set H6965 over thee, unto a nation H1471 which neither thou nor thy fathers H1 have known; H3045 and there shalt thou serve H5647 other H312 gods, H430 wood H6086 and stone. H68 And thou shalt become an astonishment, H8047 a proverb, H4912 and a byword, H8148 among all nations H5971 whither the LORD H3068 shall lead H5090 thee. Thou shalt carry H3318 much H7227 seed H2233 out H3318 into the field, H7704 and shalt gather H622 but little H4592 in; H622 for the locust H697 shall consume H2628 it. Thou shalt plant H5193 vineyards, H3754 and dress H5647 them, but shalt neither drink H8354 of the wine, H3196 nor gather H103 the grapes; for the worms H8438 shall eat H398 them. Thou shalt have olive trees H2132 throughout all thy coasts, H1366 but thou shalt not anoint H5480 thyself with the oil; H8081 for thine olive H2132 shall cast H5394 his fruit. Thou shalt beget H3205 sons H1121 and daughters, H1323 but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go H3212 into captivity. H7628 All thy trees H6086 and fruit H6529 of thy land H127 shall the locust H6767 consume. H3423 The stranger H1616 that is within H7130 thee shall get up H5927 above thee very H4605 high; H4605 and thou shalt come down H3381 very H4295 low. H4295 He shall lend H3867 to thee, and thou shalt not lend H3867 to him: he shall be the head, H7218 and thou shalt be the tail. H2180 Moreover all these curses H7045 shall come H935 upon thee, and shall pursue H7291 thee, and overtake H5381 thee, till thou be destroyed; H8045 because thou hearkenedst H8085 not unto the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 to keep H8104 his commandments H4687 and his statutes H2708 which he commanded H6680 thee: And they shall be upon thee for a sign H226 and for a wonder, H4159 and upon thy seed H2233 for H5704 ever. H5769 Because thou servedst H5647 not the LORD H3068 thy God H430 with joyfulness, H8057 and with gladness H2898 of heart, H3824 for the abundance H7230 of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve H5647 thine enemies H341 which the LORD H3068 shall send H7971 against thee, in hunger, H7458 and in thirst, H6772 and in nakedness, H5903 and in want H2640 of all things: and he shall put H5414 a yoke H5923 of iron H1270 upon thy neck, H6677 until he have destroyed H8045 thee. The LORD H3068 shall bring H5375 a nation H1471 against thee from far, H7350 from the end H7097 of the earth, H776 as swift as the eagle H5404 flieth; H1675 a nation H1471 whose tongue H3956 thou shalt not understand; H8085 A nation H1471 of fierce H5794 countenance, H6440 which shall not regard H5375 the person H6440 of the old, H2205 nor shew favour H2603 to the young: H5288 And he shall eat H398 the fruit H6529 of thy cattle, H929 and the fruit H6529 of thy land, H127 until thou be destroyed: H8045 which also shall not leave H7604 thee either corn, H1715 wine, H8492 or oil, H3323 or the increase H7698 of thy kine, H504 or flocks H6251 of thy sheep, H6629 until he have destroyed H6 thee. And he shall besiege H6887 thee in all thy gates, H8179 until thy high H1364 and fenced H1219 walls H2346 come down, H3381 wherein H2004 thou trustedst, H982 throughout all thy land: H776 and he shall besiege H6887 thee in all thy gates H8179 throughout all thy land, H776 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 thee. And thou shalt eat H398 the fruit H6529 of thine own body, H990 the flesh H1320 of thy sons H1121 and of thy daughters, H1323 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath given H5414 thee, in the siege, H4692 and in the straitness, H4689 wherewith thine enemies H341 shall distress H6693 thee: So that the man H376 that is tender H7390 among you, and very H3966 delicate, H6028 his eye H5869 shall be evil H3415 toward his brother, H251 and toward the wife H802 of his bosom, H2436 and toward the remnant H3499 of his children H1121 which he shall leave: H3498 So that he will not give H5414 to any H259 of them of the flesh H1320 of his children H1121 whom he shall eat: H398 because he hath nothing left H7604 him in the siege, H4692 and in the straitness, H4689 wherewith thine enemies H341 shall distress H6693 thee in all thy gates. H8179 The tender H7390 and delicate H6028 woman among you, which would not adventure H5254 to set H3322 the sole H3709 of her foot H7272 upon the ground H776 for delicateness H6026 and tenderness, H7391 her eye H5869 shall be evil H3415 toward the husband H376 of her bosom, H2436 and toward her son, H1121 and toward her daughter, H1323 And toward her young one H7988 that cometh out H3318 from between her feet, H7272 and toward her children H1121 which she shall bear: H3205 for she shall eat H398 them for want H2640 of all things secretly H5643 in the siege H4692 and straitness, H4689 wherewith thine enemy H341 shall distress H6693 thee in thy gates. H8179 If thou wilt not observe H8104 to do H6213 all the words H1697 of this law H8451 that are written H3789 in this book, H5612 that thou mayest fear H3372 this glorious H3513 and fearful H3372 name, H8034 THE LORD H3068 THY GOD; H430 Then the LORD H3068 will make H6381 thy plagues H4347 wonderful, H6381 and the plagues H4347 of thy seed, H2233 even great H1419 plagues, H4347 and of long continuance, H539 and sore H7451 sicknesses, H2483 and of long continuance. H539 Moreover he will bring H7725 upon thee all the diseases H4064 of Egypt, H4714 which thou wast afraid H3025 of; H6440 and they shall cleave H1692 unto thee. Also every sickness, H2483 and every plague, H4347 which is not written H3789 in the book H5612 of this law, H8451 them will the LORD H3068 bring H5927 upon thee, until thou be destroyed. H8045 And ye shall be left H7604 few H4592 in number, H4962 whereas H834 ye were as the stars H3556 of heaven H8064 for multitude; H7230 because thou wouldest not obey H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD H3068 rejoiced H7797 over you to do you good, H3190 and to multiply H7235 you; so the LORD H3068 will rejoice H7797 over you to destroy H6 you, and to bring you to nought; H8045 and ye shall be plucked H5255 from off the land H127 whither thou goest H935 to possess H3423 it. And the LORD H3068 shall scatter H6327 thee among all people, H5971 from the one end H7097 of the earth H776 even unto the other; H7097 and there thou shalt serve H5647 other H312 gods, H430 which neither thou nor thy fathers H1 have known, H3045 even wood H6086 and stone. H68 And among these H1992 nations H1471 shalt thou find no ease, H7280 neither shall the sole H3709 of thy foot H7272 have rest: H4494 but the LORD H3068 shall give H5414 thee there a trembling H7268 heart, H3820 and failing H3631 of eyes, H5869 and sorrow H1671 of mind: H5315 And thy life H2416 shall hang H8511 in doubt before H5048 thee; and thou shalt fear H6342 day H3119 and night, H3915 and shalt have none assurance H539 of thy life: H2416 In the morning H1242 thou shalt say, H559 Would God it were H5414 even! H6153 and at even H6153 thou shalt say, H559 Would God it were H5414 morning! H1242 for the fear H6343 of thine heart H3824 wherewith thou shalt fear, H6342 and for the sight H4758 of thine eyes H5869 which thou shalt see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 shall bring H7725 thee into Egypt H4714 again H7725 with ships, H591 by the way H1870 whereof I spake H559 unto thee, Thou shalt see H7200 it no more again: H3254 and there ye shall be sold H4376 unto your enemies H341 for bondmen H5650 and bondwomen, H8198 and no man shall buy H7069 you.
Moreover the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 passed over H5674 Jordan H3383 to fight H3898 also against Judah, H3063 and against Benjamin, H1144 and against the house H1004 of Ephraim; H669 so that Israel H3478 was sore H3966 distressed. H3334 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 cried H2199 unto the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 We have sinned H2398 against thee, both because we have forsaken H5800 our God, H430 and also served H5647 Baalim. H1168 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, H4714 and from the Amorites, H567 from the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and from the Philistines? H6430 The Zidonians H6722 also, and the Amalekites, H6002 and the Maonites, H4584 did oppress H3905 you; and ye cried H6817 to me, and I delivered H3467 you out of their hand. H3027 Yet ye have forsaken H5800 me, and served H5647 other H312 gods: H430 wherefore I will deliver H3467 you no more. H3254 Go H3212 and cry H2199 unto the gods H430 which ye have chosen; H977 let them H1992 deliver H3467 you in the time H6256 of your tribulation. H6869
And thou, Solomon H8010 my son, H1121 know H3045 thou the God H430 of thy father, H1 and serve H5647 him with a perfect H8003 heart H3820 and with a willing H2655 mind: H5315 for the LORD H3068 searcheth H1875 all hearts, H3824 and understandeth H995 all the imaginations H3336 of the thoughts: H4284 if thou seek H1875 him, he will be found H4672 of thee; but if thou forsake H5800 him, he will cast thee off H2186 for ever. H5703
And it came to pass, when Rehoboam H7346 had established H3559 the kingdom, H4438 and had strengthened H2393 himself, he forsook H5800 the law H8451 of the LORD, H3068 and all Israel H3478 with him. And it came to pass, that in the fifth H2549 year H8141 of king H4428 Rehoboam H7346 Shishak H7895 king H4428 of Egypt H4714 came up H5927 against Jerusalem, H3389 because they had transgressed H4603 against the LORD, H3068
Thine own wickedness H7451 shall correct H3256 thee, and thy backslidings H4878 shall reprove H3198 thee: know H3045 therefore and see H7200 that it is an evil H7451 thing and bitter, H4751 that thou hast forsaken H5800 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and that my fear H6345 is not in thee, saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 of hosts. H6635
Thy way H1870 and thy doings H4611 have procured H6213 these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, H7451 because it is bitter, H4751 because it reacheth H5060 unto thine heart. H3820
And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, H559 Wherefore H8478 H4100 doeth H6213 the LORD H3068 our God H430 all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer H559 them, Like as ye have forsaken H5800 me, and served H5647 strange H5236 gods H430 in your land, H776 so shall ye serve H5647 strangers H2114 in a land H776 that is not yours.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 12
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 12 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Rehoboam's defection from the Lord, and his humiliation by the Egyptian king Shishak . - 2 Chronicles 12:1. The infinitive כּהכין , “at the time of the establishing,” with an indefinite subject, may be expressed in English by the passive: when Rehoboam's royal power was established. The words refer back to 2 Chronicles 11:17. כּחזקתו , “when he had become strong” ( חזקה is a nomen verbale: the becoming strong; cf. 2 Chronicles 26:16; 2 Chronicles 11:2), he forsook the Lord, and all Israel with him. The inhabitants of the kingdom of Judah are here called Israel, to hint at the contrast between the actual conduct of the people in their defection from the Lord, and the destiny of Israel, the people of God. The forsaking of the law of Jahve is in substance the fall into idolatry, as we find it stated more definitely in 1 Kings 14:22.
In punishment of this defection ( בי מעלוּ כּי , because they had acted faithlessly to Jahve), Shishak, the king of Egypt, marched with a great host against Jerusalem. This hostile invasion is also briefly narrated in 1 Kings 14:25-28. Shishak (Sisak) is, as we have remarked on 1 Kings 14, Sesonchis or Sechonchosis, the first king of the 22nd dynasty, who has celebrated his victory in a relief at Karnak. In this sculpture the names of the cities captured are recorded on shields, and a considerable number have been deciphered with some certainty, and by them our account is completely confirmed. According to 2 Chronicles 12:3, Shishak's host consisted of 1200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen-numbers which, of course, are founded only upon a rough estimate-and an innumerable multitude of footmen, among whom were לוּבים , Libyans, probably the Libyaegyptii of the ancients (see on Genesis 10:13); סכּיּים , according to the lxx and Vulg. Troglodytes, probably the Ethiopian Troglodytes, who dwelt in the mountains on the west coast of the Arabian Gulf; and Cushites, i.e., Ethiopians. The Libyans and Cushites are mentioned in Nahum 3:9 also as auxiliaries of the Egyptians.
After the capture of the fenced cities of Judah, he marched against Jerusalem. - 2 Chronicles 12:5. Then the prophet Shemaiah announced to the king and the princes, who had retired to Jerusalem before Shishak, that the Lord had given them into the power of Shishak because they had forsaken Him. בּיד עזב , forsaken and given over into the hand of Shishak. When the king and the priests immediately humbled themselves before God, acknowledging the righteousness of the Lord, the prophet announced to them further that the Lord would not destroy them since they had humbled themselves, but would give them deliverance in a little space. כּמעט , according to a little, i.e., in a short time. פּליטה is accusative after ונתתּי . My anger shall not pour itself out upon Jerusalem. The pouring out of anger is the designation of an exterminating judgment; cf. 2 Chronicles 34:25.
But ( כּי after a negative clause) they shall be his servants, sc. for a short time (see 2 Chronicles 12:7), “that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries” (cf. 1 Chronicles 29:30); i.e., that they may learn to know by experience the difference between the rule of God and that of the heathen kings, and that God's rule was not so oppressive as that of the rulers of the world.
With 2 Chronicles 12:9 the account of the war is taken up again and continued by the repetition of the words, “Then marched Shishak ... against Jerusalem” (2 Chronicles 12:4). Shishak plundered the treasures of the temple and the palace; he had consequently captured Jerusalem. The golden shields also which had been placed in the house of the forest of Lebanon, i.e., the palace built by Solomon in Jerusalem, which Solomon had caused to be made (cf. 2 Chronicles 9:16), Shishak took away, and in their place Rehoboam caused brazen shields to be prepared; see on 1 Kings 14:26-28. - In 2 Chronicles 12:12 the author of the Chronicle concludes the account of this event with the didactic remark, “Because he (Rehoboam) humbled himself, the anger of Jahve was turned away from him.” להשׁחית ולא , and it was not to extermination utterly ( לכלה , properly to destruction, i.e., completely; cf. Ezekiel 13:13). And also in Judah were good things. This is the other motive which caused the Lord to turn away His wrath. Good things are proofs of piety and fear of God, cf. 2 Chronicles 19:3.
The length of Rehoboam's reign, his mother, and the judgment about him. Cf. 1 Kings 14:21 and 1 Kings 14:22 . ויּתחזּק here, as in 2 Chronicles 13:21, can, in its connection with what precedes, be only understood to mean that Rehoboam, after his humiliation at the hands of Shishak, by which his kingdom was utterly weakened and almost destroyed, again gained strength and power. Cf. also 2 Chronicles 1:1, where יתחזּק is used of Solomon in the beginning of his reign, after he overcame Adonijah, the pretender to the crown, and his party. - As to the age of Rehoboam, etc., see on 1 Kings 14:21. הרע ויּעשׂ , 2 Chronicles 12:14, is defined by the addition, “for he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.” For the expression cf. 2 Chronicles 19:3; 2 Chronicles 30:19; Ezra 7:10.
Close of his reign. On the authorities, see the Introduction, and in reference to the other statements, the commentary on 1 Kings 14:29-31. מלחמות , wars, i.e., a state of hostility, was between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all days, can only be understood of the hostile attitude of the two rulers to each other, like מלחמה in Kings; for we have no narrative of wars between them after Rehoboam had abandoned, at the instance of the prophet, his proposed war with the Israelites at the commencement of his reign.