1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, (it is taken for granted that we know the details of 1 Kings 14:22-24) and all Israel with him. (put for the part [viz. the 10 tribes])
B2 u 2-4. Invasion.
v 5. Threatening of Yahaveh.
w 6. Humiliation.
x 7,8. Mitigation.
u 9. Invasion.
v 10,11. Preparation of Rehoboam.
w 12-. Humiliation.
x -12. Mitigation.
875 B.C.
2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year (if the 390 years of Ezek 4:5 date back from the 5th year of Jehoiakin's captivity, they end 874, the close of Shishak's invasion.) of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt (there is an inscription by Shishak on the outside of the south wall of the temple of Ammon at Karnac, in which he names the "king of Judah", and gives a list of 120 fortified cities he took) came up against Jerusalem, (see Judg. 1:8 for the 28 sieges of Jerusalem) because they had transgressed against the Lord,
3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Libyans, (west of Egypt) the Sukkiims, (at the east coast of Africa) and the Ethiopians.
4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
5 Then came Shemaiah (cp. 11:2 and 1 Kings 12:22) the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, "Thus says the Lord, 'You have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.' "
6 Whereupon the princes of Judah (see 1 Kings 12:17) and the king humbled themselves; and they said, "The Lord is righteous."
7 And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them for a little while deliverance; (see Prov. 5:14) and My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know My service, (in contrast with the service of their enemies. The difference between God's service and men's servitude) and the service of the kingdoms of the countries."
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, (see Judg. 1:8) and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. (Cp. 10:17)
10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the princes of the runners, that kept the entrance of the king's house.
11 And when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the runners came and fetched them, and brought them again into the runners chamber.
12 And when he humbled himself,
the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that He would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. (Heb. "there were good words spoken", i.e. there were congratulations)
863-860 B.C.
13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was and forty one 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, (cp. 6:6 and 1 Kings 12:25-33) to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
14 And he did evil, (cp. 1 Kings 14: 22-24) because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. (Cp. Ps. 57:7; 108:1; and 112:7)
15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the words of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo (cp. 9:29; 13:22) the seer concerning genealogies? (see 1 Chron. 29:29) And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. (Cp. 1 Kings 14:30)
16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, (see Deut. 31:16) and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. (Called Abijam 1 Kings 14:31. See 1 Chron. 25:11.)