2 Chronicles 12

1 cumque roboratum fuisset regnum Roboam et confortatum dereliquit legem Domini et omnis Israhel cum eo

2 anno autem quinto regni Roboam ascendit Sesac rex Aegypti in Hierusalem quia peccaverunt Domino

3 cum mille ducentis curribus et sexaginta milibus equitum nec erat numerus vulgi quod venerat cum eo ex Aegypto Lybies scilicet et Trogoditae et Aethiopes

4 cepitque civitates munitissimas in Iuda et venit usque Hierusalem

5 Semeias autem propheta ingressus est ad Roboam et principes Iuda qui congregati fuerant in Hierusalem fugientes Sesac dixitque ad eos haec dicit Dominus vos reliquistis me et ego reliqui vos in manu Sesac

6 consternatique principes Israhel et rex dixerunt iustus est Dominus

7 cumque vidisset Dominus quod humiliati essent factus est sermo Domini ad Semeiam dicens quia humiliati sunt non disperdam eos daboque eis pauxillum auxilii et non stillabit furor meus super Hierusalem per manum Sesac

8 verumtamen servient ei ut sciant distantiam servitutis meae et servitutis regni terrarum

9 recessit itaque Sesac rex Aegypti ab Hierusalem sublatis thesauris domus Domini et domus regis omniaque secum tulit et clypeos aureos quos fecerat Salomon

10 pro quibus fecit rex aeneos et tradidit illos principibus scutariorum qui custodiebant vestibulum palatii

11 cumque introiret rex domum Domini veniebant scutarii et tollebant eos iterumque referebant ad armamentarium suum

12 verumtamen quia humiliati sunt aversa est ab eis ira Domini nec deleti sunt penitus siquidem et in Iuda inventa sunt opera bona

13 confortatus est igitur rex Roboam in Hierusalem atque regnavit quadraginta autem et unius anni erat cum regnare coepisset et decem septemque annis regnavit in Hierusalem urbe quam elegit Dominus ut confirmaret nomen suum ibi de cunctis tribubus Israhel nomenque matris eius Naama Ammanitis

14 fecit autem malum et non praeparavit cor suum ut quaereret Dominum

15 opera vero Roboam prima et novissima scripta sunt in libris Semeiae prophetae et Addo videntis et diligenter exposita pugnaveruntque adversum se Roboam et Hieroboam cunctis diebus

16 et dormivit Roboam cum patribus suis sepultusque est in civitate David et regnavit Abia filius eius pro eo

2 Chronicles 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Rehoboam, forsaking the Lord, is punished.

- When Rehoboam was so strong that he supposed he had nothing to fear from Jeroboam, he cast off his outward profession of godliness. It is very common, but very lamentable, that men, who in distress or danger, or near death, seem much engaged in seeking and serving God, throw aside all their religion when they have received a merciful deliverance. God quickly brought troubles upon Judah, to awaken the people to repentance, before their hearts were hardened. Thus it becomes us, when we are under the rebukes of Providence, to justify God, and to judge ourselves. If we have humbled hearts under humbling providences, the affliction has done its work; it shall be removed, or the property of it be altered. The more God's service is compared with other services, the more reasonable and easy it will appear. Are the laws of temperance thought hard? The effects of intemperance will be found much harder. The service of God is perfect liberty; the service of our lusts is complete slavery. Rehoboam was never rightly fixed in his religion. He never quite cast off God; yet he engaged not his heart to seek the Lord. See what his fault was; he did not serve the Lord, because he did not seek the Lord. He did not pray, as Solomon, for wisdom and grace; he did not consult the word of God, did not seek to that as his oracle, nor follow its directions. He made nothing of his religion, because he did not set his heart to it, nor ever came up to a steady resolution in it. He did evil, because he never was determined for good.

Chapter Summary

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, 2Ch 12:1-4, 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, 2Ch 12:5-12, and the chapter is closed with an account of the reign and death of Rehoboam, 2Ch 12:13-16.