2 Chronicles 12:3

3 with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen. And the people were without number who came with him from Egypt--1Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians.

2 Chronicles 12:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Chronicles 12:3

With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen;
and the people were without number
The foot soldiers; their number, according to Josephus F8 was 400,000:

that came with him out of Egypt;
the above numerous army came from thence with him, which was famous for horses and chariots of war, see ( Exodus 14:7 Exodus 14:28 ) , what follow seem to have joined him after he came out of Egypt, or whom he subdued in his way; the Lubim or Lybians, inhabitants of Libya, a country near Egypt the same with the Lehabim; of whom see ( Genesis 10:13 ) ,

the Sukkiims;
who were either the Scenite Arabs, who dwelt in tents, as this word signifies; or the Troglodytes, according to the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, who dwelt in dens and caves, in which sense the word "Succah" is sometimes used, ( Job 38:40 ) ( Psalms 10:9 ) and in their country was a town called Suchae, mentioned by Pliny F9; they inhabited near the Red sea; and if Shishak is the same with Sesostris, as is thought, these people were subdued by him, as Herodotus F11 and Strabo F12 testify:

and the Ethiopians;
some think these were the Cushite Arabs, and that Sesostris came into Arabia is testified by the above writers; though rather the proper Ethiopians are meant, since they are joined with the Lubim or Africans; and since, as Herodotus F13 says, he ruled over Ethiopia; and Diodorus Siculus F14 says he fought with them, and obliged them to pay him tribute.


FOOTNOTES:

F8 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 10. sect. 2.
F9 Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 29.
F11 Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 102.
F12 Geograph. l. 16. p. 529.
F13 Ut supra, (Euterpe, sive, l. 2.) c. 110.
F14 Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 50.

2 Chronicles 12:3 In-Context

1 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.'"

Cross References 1

  • 1. 2 Chronicles 16:8; Nahum 3:9; [Daniel 11:43]
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