Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary2 Chronicles 12

Abijah's Reign over JudahThe kingdom of Judah had many advantages, including the temple in Jerusalem, the descendants of David as kings, and the priests of God. Despite this, they strayed from their duty to God. Rehoboam and the people turned away from the Lord

v. 2: In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, God allowed Shishak, the king of Egypt, to attack Judah. This was because Judah had been unfaithful to Him.

v. 3: Shishak came with a massive army, including chariots and horsemen. His army also had people from other nations, such as the Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.

v. 4: Shishak captured the fortified cities of Judah and advanced toward Jerusalem. This showed that Judah’s defenses, which Rehoboam had trusted in, could not protect them when they had turned away from God.

v. 5: God sent the prophet Shemaiah to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah. Shemaiah told them that the reason Shishak had power over them was because they had abandoned God, and now God was abandoning them .

v. 6: The leaders and Rehoboam humbled themselves and confessed, saying, “The Lord

v. 7: When God saw that they had humbled themselves, He showed mercy. He decided not to destroy them completely but to give them some relief. His mercy teaches us that God responds to true repentance.

v. 8: However, God allowed Judah to serve Shishak as a lesson. This was to teach them the difference between serving God, which is true freedom, and serving other rulers, which is slavery .

v. 9: Shishak took away treasures from the temple and the royal palace. Even the golden shields Solomon had made were taken. This was a great loss for Judah and a reminder of what they had given up through their unfaithfulness .

v. 10: Rehoboam replaced the golden shields with bronze ones. Although they were not as valuable, they were used to maintain appearances during royal ceremonies.

v. 11: The guards carried the bronze shields whenever the king went to the temple and returned them afterward. This change symbolized the decline in Judah’s glory.

v. 12: Because Rehoboam humbled himself, God’s anger was turned away, and Judah was not completely destroyed. Some good things still remained in Judah, which gave hope for the future .

v. 13: Rehoboam strengthened his rule in Jerusalem. He was 41 years old when he became king, and he reigned for 17 years. Jerusalem was special because it was the city God had chosen for His temple. This passage closes the story of Rehoboam’s reign. Although he managed to keep his throne and strengthen his rule in Jerusalem, he never truly committed his heart to God. He lived near the temple, the place God had chosen, but did not seek the Lord

v. 14: Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord

v. 15: The events of Rehoboam’s reign, including wars with Jeroboam, were written in the records of the prophets Shemaiah and Iddo. This reminds us that history records both the successes and failures of leaders. His reign was marked by conflict, but he managed to hold his kingdom .

v. 16: When Rehoboam died, he was buried in the City of David. His son Abijah became king after him, continuing the line of David despite Judah’s struggles (2 Chronicles 12:16 ).