2 Chronicles 10–11, 12:1-16 (September 29, 2025)

2 Chronicles 12:1-16

Egypt Plunders Jerusalem

12 When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. 2 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem 3 with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. And the people were without number who came with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians. 4 And he took the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’” 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.” 7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless, they shall be servants to him, that they may know my service and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”

9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house. He took away everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 10 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king's house. 11 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard came and carried them and brought them back to the guardroom. 12 And when he humbled himself the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to make a complete destruction. Moreover, conditions were good[a] in Judah.

13 So King Rehoboam grew strong in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. 14 And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the chronicles of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer?[b] There were continual wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abijah[c] his son reigned in his place.

Footnotes

2 Chronicles 12:12 Hebrew good things were found

2 Chronicles 12:15 After seer, Hebrew adds according to genealogy

2 Chronicles 12:16 Spelled Abijam in 1 Kings 14:31

Summary

Chapter 10 – Division through Folly

After Solomon’s death, Rehoboam goes to Shechem to be crowned. The people request lighter burdens than those imposed under Solomon. Rejecting the counsel of the elders, Rehoboam follows the advice of his peers and threatens even harsher treatment. The result is rebellion. The northern tribes crown Jeroboam, and the kingdom of David is divided. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remain under Rehoboam.

Chapter 11 – Strengthening through Obedience

Rehoboam gathers an army to fight against Israel, but the prophet Shemaiah brings God’s word: “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers.” Amazingly, Rehoboam listens and refrains from civil war. He strengthens Judah by fortifying cities and appointing priests and Levites who have migrated from the north, since Jeroboam had rejected true worship. For three years, Judah walks in the way of David and Solomon. Yet hints of compromise remain, especially in Rehoboam’s many wives and children.

Chapter 12 – Discipline and Grace

Sadly, once Rehoboam’s rule is established and secure, he abandons the law of the Lord, and the people follow him (12:1). In the fifth year of his reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, invades with overwhelming force, capturing fortified cities and advancing toward Jerusalem:

The prophet Shemaiah declares: “You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak” (12:5).

The leaders humble themselves, confessing, “The Lord is righteous” (12:6). God relents from total destruction, but allows them to become subject to Egypt so they may learn the difference between serving God and serving earthly powers (12:7–8). Shishak plunders Jerusalem’s treasures, including the golden shields of Solomon. Rehoboam replaces them with bronze. This was a clear and visible symbol of diminished glory (12:9–11).

The chapter ends by noting that Rehoboam reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, but his legacy was marked by decline, conflict, and ongoing unfaithfulness (12:12–16).

Who is God?

God is sovereign over kingdoms and faithful to His covenant. He raises up kings and humbles them. He is righteous. When His people abandon Him, He rightly abandons them to foreign powers. Yet He is also merciful. When His people humble themselves, He relents from destruction. God disciplines His people not to destroy them but to destroy sin in them. He is the God who gives wisdom (chapter 10), establishes His people in obedience (chapter 11), and humbles them in discipline (chapter 12), always working for their ultimate good.

What is our guilt?

Like Rehoboam, we are prone to folly, pride, and forgetfulness. When pressed with decisions, we listen to voices that flatter our ego rather than those that call us to be faithful to God. Ironically, when we are secure, we often grow complacent and abandon God’s Word. When disciplined, we generally care more about avoiding consequences than returning to God with wholehearted devotion. The golden shields turned to bronze expose our hearts. Sadly, by disobedience, we trade the glory of God for lesser substitutes. Our foolish decision to trust the powers of this world leads to the downgrade of our lives.

How does grace shine?

Despite the sin and rebellion against God, He does not abandon His covenant people. Though He disciplines, He relents when His people humble themselves. The partial mercy shown to Rehoboam points us to the greater mercy in Christ. Where Judah lost treasures, Christ gives us an imperishable inheritance. Where King Rehoboam’s pride divided the kingdom, Christ’s humility gathers God’s people into one body. Where Judah had to serve Egypt as slaves once again, Christ frees us from the slavery of sin. God restores Israel as Christ redeems the lost. Let's remember that Grace is not the absence of discipline, but the restoration through discipline.

Prayer

O Lord, you are righteous and faithful. You humbled King Rehoboam and the people of Judah to teach them that faithfulness that follows discipline is a path to restoration. We confess that we often listen to foolish voices of the world. When we are stable, we often grow complacent, rather than building our faith. Forgive us for trading your glory for lesser things.

Thank you that in Christ you do not destroy us but discipline us as children, restoring us by grace. Teach us to humble ourselves quickly, to serve you with gladness, and to treasure Christ as our true glory.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.