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2 Chronicles 12

Judah's kings and temple life are traced from Solomon to exile and return.

Old Testament

2 Chronicles 12

1When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the LORD’s law, and all Israel with him.

2In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the LORD,

3with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. The people were without number who came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians.

4He took the fortified cities which belonged to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

5Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “The LORD says, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

6Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “The LORD is righteous.”

7When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the LORD’s word came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath won’t be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

8Nevertheless they will be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.”

9So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the LORD’s house and the treasures of the king’s house. He took it all away. He also took away the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

10King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house.

11As often as the king entered into the LORD’s house, the guard came and bore them, then brought them back into the guard room.

12When he humbled himself, the LORD’s wrath turned from him, so as not to destroy him altogether. Moreover, there were good things found in Judah.

13So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was 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 to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

14He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek the LORD.

15Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, aren’t they written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, in the genealogies? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

16Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city; and Abijah his son reigned in his place.

READ IN CONTEXT

Before applying this chapter

Judah's kings and temple life are traced from Solomon to exile and return. Read 2 Chronicles 12 within the complete 2 Chronicles overview, and use the contextual Bible reading guide before forming a personal application. Chapter divisions aid navigation, but the literary unit may begin earlier or continue into the next chapter.

Observe first

Mark repeated words, changes of speaker, commands, promises, contrasts, questions, and the relationship between paragraphs.

Apply responsibly

Distinguish description from command and immediate audience from later readers before forming a personal application.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in 2 Chronicles 12

2 Chronicles 12 contains 16 verses and about 449 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the LORD’s law, and all Israel with him.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 16 closes: “Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city; and Abijah his son reigned in his place.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include rehoboam, king, jerusalem, lord’s, shishak, took. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About 2 Chronicles 12

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, 2 Chronicles 12:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

A SMALL NEXT STEP

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