2 Chronicles 12:4 Ulasan

This chapter gives us a more full account of the reign of Rehoboam than we had before in Kings and it is a very melancholy account. Methinks we are in the book of Judges again; for, I. Rehoboam and his people did evil in the sight of the Lord (Ch2 12:1). II. God thereupon sold them into the hands of Shishak, king of Egypt, who greatly oppressed them (Ch2 12:2-4) III. God sent a prophet to them, to expound to them the judgment and to call them to repentance (Ch2 12:5). IV. They thereupon humbled themselves (Ch2 12:6). V. God, upon their repentance, turned from his anger (Ch2 12:7, Ch2 12:12) and yet left them under the marks of his displeasure (Ch2 12:8-11). Lastly, Here is a general character of Rehoboam and his reign, with the conclusion of it (Ch2 12:13-16).

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, Ch2 12:1, upon which a prophet of the Lord was sent to him and his princes, to show them the reason of it; whereupon they humbled themselves, and the Lord was pleased not to allow the enemy utterly to destroy them, yet to reduce them to servitude, and take away their riches, Ch2 12:5, and the chapter is closed with an account of the reign and death of Rehoboam, Ch2 12:13.

And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah,.... Which Rehoboam had lately built, and placed his sons in them, Ch2 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 among the rest Phoenicia, as Manetho (o) relates, in which Judea may be included. (o) Apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 15.

Rehoboam and his subjects, forsaking the Lord, are delivered into the hands of Shishak, king of Egypt, Ch2 12:1-4. Shemaiah the prophet remonstrates with them, and they humble themselves, and Jerusalem is not destroyed; but Shishak takes away all the treasures, and the golden shields, instead of which Rehoboam makes shields of brass, Ch2 12:5-12. He reigns badly seventeen years, dies, and is succeeded by his son Abijah, Ch2 12:13-16.

REHOBOAM, FORSAKING GOD, IS PUNISHED BY SHISHAK. (Ch2 12:1-12) when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself--(See on Ch2 11:17). During the first three years of his reign his royal influence was exerted in the encouragement of the true religion. Security and ease led to religious decline, which, in the fourth year, ended in open apostasy. The example of the court was speedily followed by his subjects, for "all Israel was with him," that is, the people in his own kingdom. The very next year, the fifth of his reign, punishment was inflicted by the invasion of Shishak.

After the capture of the fenced cities of Judah, he marched against Jerusalem. - Ch2 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. Ch2 34:25.