2 Chronicles 12 Study Notes

12:9 Shishak’s army arrived in Jerusalem and helped themselves to all the treasures that David and Solomon had collected. The gold shields, so conveniently stored on the walls of Solomon’s palace, became easy objects for the Egyptian army to carry off (see note at 9:13-16). Yet just as Shemaiah had predicted, Shishak did not destroy Jerusalem. This unusual action fits with Shishak’s own records of this military excursion. He listed in an inscription forty-one cities that he captured and decimated, but Jerusalem was not among them.

12:10-11 Having lost the gold shields, Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields and gave them more protection than he ever did to his father’s legacy. He had been humiliated several times as he attempted to emulate his father. Now we see a little bit of self-assertion shining through this gesture.

12:12 Shishak’s invasion was a lesson in humility. Shishak had apparently collected enough wealth to be satisfied. Despite the setback of the Egyptian invasion, on the whole, life in Judah was good.

12:13-14 The customary death notice for Rehoboam is negative. On balance, despite his repentance and God’s rescue, Rehoboam was considered an evil king who did not follow the law of the Lord.