12 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.

And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,

With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.

And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.

And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.

11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.

12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well.

13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

13 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, being mighty men of valour.

And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel;

Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?

Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial, and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the Lord in the hand of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Have ye not cast out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.

10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and the priests, which minister unto the Lord, are the sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business:

11 And they burn unto the Lord every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God; but ye have forsaken him.

12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.

14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind: and they cried unto the Lord, and the priests sounded with the trumpets.

15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered them into their hand.

17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the Lord God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof, and Ephraim with the towns thereof.

20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of Abijah: and the Lord struck him, and he died.

21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

12 1 Rehoboam forsaketh the Lord, and is punished by Shishak. 5 Shemaiah reproveth him. 6 He humbleth himself. 7 God sendeth him succor. 9 Shishak taketh his treasures. 13 His reign and death. 16 Abijah his son succeedeth him.

And when [a]Rehoboam had established the kingdom and made it strong, he forsook the Law of the Lord, and [b]all Israel with him.

Therefore in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem (because they had transgressed against the Lord)

With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen, and the people were without number, that came with him from Egypt, even the Lubim, [c]Sukkiim, and the [d]Ethiopians.

And he took the strong cities which were of Judah, and came unto Jerusalem.

¶ Then came Shemaiah the Prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah that were gathered together in Jerusalem, because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, [e]therefore have I also left you in the hands of Shishak.

Then the princes of Israel, and the King humbled themselves, and said, The Lord is [f]just.

And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them, but I will send them deliverance shortly, and my wrath shall not [g]be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

Nevertheless they shall be his servants: so shall they know my [h]service, and the service of the kingdoms of the earth.

¶ Then Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the King’s house: he took even all, and he carried away the shields of gold, (A)which Solomon had made.

10 In stead whereof King Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that waited at the door of the king’s house.

11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and bare them and brought them again unto the guard chamber.

12 And because he [i]humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy all together. And also in Judah the things prospered.

13 (B)So King Rehoboam was strong in Jerusalem and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old, when he began to reign, and reigned [j]seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his Name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

14 And he did evil: for he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

15 The acts also of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the [k]book of Shemaiah the Prophet, and Iddo the Seer, in rehearsing the genealogy? and there was war always between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David, and [l]Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

13 1 Abijah maketh war against Jeroboam. 4 He showeth the occasion. 12 He trusteth in the Lord and overcometh Jeroboam. 21 Of his wives and children.

In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, began Abijah to reign over [m]Judah.

He reigned three years in Jerusalem: (his mother’s name also was [n]Michaiah the daughter of [o]Uriel of Gibeah) and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

And Abijah set the battle in array with the army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men. Jeroboam also set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men which were strong and valiant.

And Abijah stood up upon mount [p]Zemaraim, which is in mount Ephraim, and said, O Jeroboam, and all Israel, hear you me,

Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel hath given the kingdom over Israel to [q]David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant [r]of salt?

And Jeroboam the son of Nebat the servant of Solomon the son of David is risen up, and hath (C)rebelled against his lord:

And there are gathered to him [s]vain men and [t]wicked, and made themselves strong against Rehoboam the son of Solomon: for Rehoboam was [u]but a child and [v](D)tender hearted, and could not resist them.

Now therefore ye think that ye be able to resist against the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of the sons of David, and ye be a great multitude, and the golden calves are with you which Jeroboam made you for gods.

(E)Have ye not driven away the Priests of the Lord the sons of Aaron and the Levites, and have made you Priests like the people of other countries? whosoever cometh to [w]consecrate with a [x]young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a Priest of them that are no gods.

10 But we belong unto the Lord our God, and have not forsaken him, and the Priests the sons of Aaron minister unto the Lord, and the Levites in their office.

11 And they burn unto the Lord every [y]morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense, and the bread is set in order upon the pure table, and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the watch of the Lord our God: but ye have forsaken him.

12 And behold, this God is [z]with us as a captain, and his Priests with the sounding trumpets to cry an alarm against you. O ye children of Israel, fight not against the Lord God of your fathers: for ye shall not prosper.

13 ¶ But Jeroboam caused an ambushment [aa]to compass, and come behind them, when they were before Judah, and the ambushment behind them.

14 Then Judah looked, and behold, the battle was before and behind them, and they cried unto the Lord, and the Priests blew with the trumpets,

15 And the men of Judah gave a shout: and even as the men of Judah shouted, God [ab]smote Jeroboam and also Israel before Abijah and Judah.

16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah, and God delivered them into their hand.

17 And Abijah and his people slew a great slaughter of them, so that there fell down wounded of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

18 So the children of Israel were brought under at that time: and the children of Judah prevailed, [ac]because they stayed upon the Lord God of their fathers.

19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him, even Bethel and the [ad]villages thereof, and Jeshanah with her villages, and Ephron with her villages.

20 And Jeroboam recovered no strength again in the days of Abijah, but the Lord plagued him, and he died.

21 So Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat two and twenty sons, and sixteen daughters.

22 The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his manners and his sayings, are written in the story of the Prophet Iddo.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 12:1 Or, when the Lord had established Rehoboam’s kingdom.
  2. 2 Chronicles 12:1 For such is the inconstancy of the people, that for the most part they follow the vices of their governors.
  3. 2 Chronicles 12:3 Which were a people of Africa called the Troglodytes because they dwelled in holes.
  4. 2 Chronicles 12:3 Or, black Moores.
  5. 2 Chronicles 12:5 Signifying, that no calamity can come unto us except we forsake God, and that he never leaveth us till we have cast him off.
  6. 2 Chronicles 12:6 And therefore doth justly punish you for your sins.
  7. 2 Chronicles 12:7 Hebrew, drop down.
  8. 2 Chronicles 12:8 He showeth that God’s punishments are not to destroy his utterly, but to chastise them, to bring them to the knowledge of themselves, and to know how much better it is to serve God than tyrants.
  9. 2 Chronicles 12:12 Which declareth that God seeketh not the death of a sinner, but his conversion, Ezek. 18:32 and 23:11.
  10. 2 Chronicles 12:13 That is, twelve years after that he had been overcome by Shishak, verse 2.
  11. 2 Chronicles 12:15 Hebrew, sayings.
  12. 2 Chronicles 12:16 Or, Abijam.
  13. 2 Chronicles 13:1 He meaneth Judah and Benjamin.
  14. 2 Chronicles 13:2 Or, Maachah, 1 Kings 15:2.
  15. 2 Chronicles 13:2 Called also Abishalom, for Abishalom was her grandfather, 1 Kings 15:2.
  16. 2 Chronicles 13:4 Which was one of the tops of mount Ephraim.
  17. 2 Chronicles 13:5 And therefore whosoever doth usurp it or take it from that stock, transgresseth the ordinance of the Lord. Thus like an hypocrite he allegeth the word of God for his advantage.
  18. 2 Chronicles 13:5 That is, perpetual because that thing which is salted, is preserved from corruption: he meaneth also that it was made solemnly, and confirmed by offering of sacrifices, where as they used salt according as was ordained, Num. 18:19.
  19. 2 Chronicles 13:7 This word in the Chaldean tongue is Raca, which our Savior useth, Matt. 5:22.
  20. 2 Chronicles 13:7 Hebrew, children of Belial.
  21. 2 Chronicles 13:7 Meaning, in heart and courage.
  22. 2 Chronicles 13:7 Or, faint hearted.
  23. 2 Chronicles 13:9 Hebrew, fill his hand.
  24. 2 Chronicles 13:9 He showeth the nature of idolaters which take no trial of the vocation, life and doctrine of their ministers, but think the most vilest and greatest beasts sufficient to serve their turn.
  25. 2 Chronicles 13:11 As it was appointed in the Law, Exod. 29:39.
  26. 2 Chronicles 13:12 Because their cause was good and approved by the Lord, they doubted not of the success and victory.
  27. 2 Chronicles 13:13 Contemning the good counsel which came of the Spirit of God, he thought to have overcome by deceit.
  28. 2 Chronicles 13:15 Or, gave him the overthrow.
  29. 2 Chronicles 13:18 He showeth that the stay of all kingdoms, and assurance of victories depend upon our trust and confidence in the Lord.
  30. 2 Chronicles 13:19 Hebrew, daughters.