Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
2 Chronicles 12:13

Clarke's Commentary

Verse 2 Chronicles 12:13. Was one and forty years old — Houbigant thinks he was but sixteen years old when he began to reign; and brings many and forcible arguments to prove that the number forty-one must be a mistake. That he was young when he came to the throne, is evident from his consulting the young men that were brought up with him, 2 Chronicles 10:8; 2 Chronicles 10:10. They were young men then; and if he was brought up with them, he must have been young then also. Besides, Abijah, in his speech to Jeroboam, 2 Chronicles 13:7, says that at the time Rehoboam came to the throne he was tender-hearted, and therefore could not withstand the children of Belial raised up against him by Jeroboam: but surely at that time no man could be reputed young and tender-hearted - quite devoid of experience, who was above forty years of age. Besides, if this reading were allowed, it would prove that he was born before his father Solomon began to reign, for Solomon reigned only forty years, and Rehoboam immediately succeeded him.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

10:1-36:23 THE KINGS OF JUDAH

Division and its consequences (10:1-13:22)

The Chronicler records the division of the kingdom (10:1-11:4; see notes on 1 Kings 12:1-24), but omits the statement in 1 Kings 12:20 that Jeroboam was made king of the northern tribes. He does not even mention Jeroboam’s reign (1 Kings 12:25-20). He considers that because the northerners broke away from the dynasty of David and from the true worship of God, they had no right to be called a kingdom, and certainly not the kingdom of Israel.

Unlike the writer of Kings (who calls the southern kingdom Judah and the northern kingdom Israel), the writer of Chronicles calls the southern kingdom either Judah or Israel. For him Judah is the only true kingdom, and the Davidic kings are the only legitimate kings. Nevertheless, he still accepts people from the north as Israelites, and is pleased when any return to God and the Davidic rulers (see 11:13-17; 15:9; 30:1-12). He sometimes refers to the northern kingdom as Ephraim.

Priests and Levites are often prominent in the Chronicler’s account of Judah’s successes. Solomon’s son Rehoboam began his reign well, mainly through the influence of a large number of priests and Levites who fled to Judah from the north rather than join in Jeroboam’s idolatry. As long as Rehoboam followed the ways of God as taught by the priests, Judah was strong and stable. When he introduced Canaanite religious practices, God punished him by way of a damaging invasion from Egypt (11:5-12:16; see notes on 1 Kings 14:21-31).

Abijam (or Abijah) followed the religious policy of his father in allowing the worship of Baal to exist side by side with the worship of God, but he did not completely forsake God as Jeroboam did in the north. Abijam’s unexpected victory over Jeroboam in battle demonstrated that God was on the side of the king who belonged to David’s dynasty and who refused to join in the false religion of the north (13:1-22; see notes on 1 Kings 15:1-8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

CONCLUSION OF REHOBOAM'S EVIL REIGN

"So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And he did that which was evil, because he set not his heart to seek Jehovah. "Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead."

"And he did that which was evil" The Chronicler did not dwell unnecessarily upon the details of Rehoboam's wickedness, but it was very great indeed. His wickedness exceeded anything that his fathers had done before him. The sodomites were brought into the land; the high places were built; and Israel even sinned beyond that of the ancient Canaanites who preceded Israel in Palestine. A fuller account of all this is in 1 Kings 14:21-24.

God had forbidden the Israelites to intermarry with foreigners; but Rehoboam's mother was an Ammonitess.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 12

It came to pass [chapter twelve], when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him ( 2 Chronicles 12:1 ).

As the king goes, so goes the nation. Having forsaken the Lord he led them in a path away from God. And there came from Egypt a pharaoh by the name of Shishak who began to invade the land of Judah and take the cities. Actually, the Lubims and the Ethiopians had come with him with a mighty host and they came to Jerusalem and began to besiege Jerusalem.

And a prophet of the Lord came to Rehoboam and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, You have forsaken me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak. Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous ( 2 Chronicles 12:5-6 ).

So as Shishak was now coming towards Jerusalem, the prophet of God says, "Hey, you brought this on yourself. You've forsaken the Lord, now the Lord has left you." And it is interesting that they acknowledged God is righteous and they humbled themselves.

And the Lord saw they humbled themselves and He said, Because they have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries ( 2 Chronicles 12:7-8 ).

So he came up against Shishak. Shishak came up against Jerusalem, and then more or less bought him off. They took all of the gold that was in the temple, the golden shields and all of these things that Solomon had placed there, and they gave them unto Shishak, the king of Egypt. More or less just bought him out, and he plundered the city of Jerusalem of all of its gold, returning to Egypt.

Now the archaeologists discovered in 1939 in Egypt an account of this invasion of Israel or Judah. In the archaeological account there that they have discovered, it declares that they took a 169 of the cities of Judah. They also found the sarcophagus in which Shishak was entombed. And it was encased in silver. Actually, it was a silver sarcophagus encased in gold, solid gold. Probably the same gold that he took from the temple in Jerusalem that Solomon had established there. So it's an interesting sort of confirmation from the archaeologist's spade of what God's Word declares did indeed take place.

The death of Rehoboam is listed in the latter part of the chapter. In verse 2 Chronicles 12:14 it gives sort of a brief obituary, which is rather sad.

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD ( 2 Chronicles 12:14 ).

On his death his son Abijah began to reign over Judah. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. The invasion by Egypt ch. 12

The writer pointed out clearly the connection between Shishak’s invasion and Rehoboam’s unfaithfulness (2 Chronicles 12:1-5; cf. Proverbs 3:12).

"The passage makes use of terms that are characteristic of the Chronicler’s theology of divine retribution, namely, ’forsake’ or ’abandon’ (2 Chronicles 12:1; 2 Chronicles 12:5), ’be unfaithful’ (2 Chronicles 12:2), and ’humble oneself’ (2 Chronicles 12:6-7; 2 Chronicles 12:12). The Shishak incident provided a model of the sort of thing that could happen again." [Note: Thompson, p. 257.]

"In his emphasis on immediate retribution, the Chronicler is warning the restoration community against any complacency or presumption that punishment might be deferred as it had been in the past." [Note: Longman and Dillard, p. 200.]

"After three years of stability, Rehoboam led Judah into apostasy. There are conscious parallels with Saul. The ’unfaithfulness’ of 2 Chronicles 12:2 is the same term as that which was applied to Israel’s first king (1 Chronicles 10:13). Rehoboam, therefore, has entered upon what might be termed a ’Saul’ period in his reign, which contrasts with the early phase, in which he ’walked . . . in the way of David and Solomon’." [Note: McConville, pp. 157-58.]

Rehoboam’s repentance caused God to grant deliverance from the Egyptians (2 Chronicles 12:6-7; 2 Chronicles 12:12; cf. Psalms 51:17). Overall, Rehoboam failed to set his heart on the Lord (2 Chronicles 12:14). This resulted in his doing evil, namely, not leading the people to follow Yahweh as David had done.

"The case of Rehoboam has shown particularly clearly how much the Chronicler is concerned to show that obedience and blessing, disobedience and impoverishment are closely linked." [Note: Ibid., p. 160.]

"The destiny of any country depends to a great extent on the character of its leaders; and this was particularly the case among the Hebrews, into whose history God chose to intervene more directly than he has for other nations." [Note: Payne, p. 478.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

So Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem,.... Fortified that yet more for the defence of himself, after Shishak departed:

and reigned; twelve years more, for he reigned in all seventeen, and this was in his fifth year; of what follows in this verse,

:-.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.   14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.   15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.   16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

      The story of Rehoboam's reign is here concluded, much as the story of the other reigns concludes. Two things especially are observable here:-- 1. That he was at length pretty well fixed in his kingdom,2 Chronicles 12:13; 2 Chronicles 12:13. His fenced cities in Judah did not answer his expectation, so he now strengthened himself in Jerusalem, which he made it his business to fortify, and there he reigned seventeen years, in the city which the Lord had chosen to put his name there. This intimates his honour and privilege, that he had his royal seat in the holy city, which yet was but an aggravation of his impiety--near the temple, but far from God. Frequent skirmishes there were between his subjects and Jeroboam's, such as amounted to continual wars, (2 Chronicles 12:15; 2 Chronicles 12:15), but he held his own, and reigned, and, as it should seem, did not so grossly forsake the law of God as he had done (2 Chronicles 12:1; 2 Chronicles 12:1) in his fourth year. 2. That he was never rightly fixed in his religion, 2 Chronicles 12:14; 2 Chronicles 12:14. He never quite cast off God; and yet in this he did evil, that he prepared not, he engaged not, his heart to seek the Lord. See what the fault is laid upon. (1.) He did not serve the Lord because he did not seek the Lord. He did not pray, as Solomon did, for wisdom and grace. If we prayed better, we should be every way better. Or he did not consult the word of God, did not seek to that as his oracle, nor take directions from it. (2.) He made nothing of his religion because he did not set his heart to it, never minded it with any closeness of application, and never any hearty disposition to it, nor ever came up to a steady resolution in it. What little goodness he had was transient and passed away like the morning cloud. He did evil because he was never determined for that which is good. Those are easily drawn by Satan to any evil who are wavering and inconstant in that which is good and are never persuaded to make religion their business.