1 And it cometh to pass, at the establishing of the kingdom of Rehoboam, and at his strengthening himself, he hath forsaken the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him.
And they strengthen the kingdom of Judah, and strengthen Rehoboam son of Solomon, for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
And king Rehoboam strengtheneth himself in Jerusalem, and reigneth; for a son of forty and two years `is' Rehoboam in his reigning, and seventeen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah hath chosen to put His name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and the name of his mother `is' Naamah the Ammonitess,
and by their hand `is' the force of the host, three hundred thousand, and seven thousand, and five hundred warriors, with mighty power to give help to the king against the enemy. And Uzziah prepareth for them, for all the host, shields, and spears, and helmets, and coats of mail, and bows, even to stones of the slings. And he maketh in Jerusalem inventions -- a device of an inventor -- to be on the towers, and on the corners, to shoot with arrows and with great stones, and his name goeth out unto a distance, for he hath been wonderfully helped till that he hath been strong. And at his being strong his heart hath been high unto destruction, and he trespasseth against Jehovah his God, and goeth in unto the temple of Jehovah to make perfume upon the altar of perfume.
And Judah doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and they make Him zealous above all that their fathers did by their sins that they have sinned. And they build -- also they -- for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and shrines, on every high height, and under every green tree; and also a whoremonger hath been in the land; they have done according to all the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel.
O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, `We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'
According to their feedings they are satiated, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me, And I am to them as a lion, As a leopard by the way I look out. I do meet them as a bereaved bear, And I rend the enclosure of their heart.
When Ephraim speaketh tremblingly, He hath been lifted up in Israel, When he becometh guilty in Baal he dieth.
`And it hath been, when Jehovah thy God doth bring thee in unto the land which He hath sworn to thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to thee -- cities great and good, which thou hast not built, and houses full of all good things which thou hast not filled, and wells digged which thou hast not digged, vineyards and olive-yards which thou hast not planted, and thou hast eaten, and been satisfied; `Take heed to thyself lest thou forget Jehovah who hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants;
`Speak unto Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, and unto all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying,
As to the sons of Israel, those dwelling in the cities of Judah -- over them reign doth Rehoboam.
and they have said, Because that they have forsaken Jehovah their God, who brought out their fathers from the land of Egypt, and they lay hold on other gods, and bow themselves to them, and serve them; therefore hath Jehovah brought in upon them all this evil.'
And Jeshurun waxeth fat, and doth kick: Thou hast been fat -- thou hast been thick, Thou hast been covered. And he leaveth God who made him, And dishonoureth the Rock of his salvation.
and thou hast eaten, and been satisfied, and hast blessed Jehovah thy God, on the good land which he hath given to thee. `Take heed to thyself, lest thou forget Jehovah thy God so as not to keep His commands, and His judgments, and His statutes which I am commanding thee to-day; lest thou eat, and hast been satisfied, and good houses dost build, and hast inhabited; and thy herd and thy flock be multiplied, and silver and gold be multiplied to thee; and all that is thine be multiplied: `And thy heart hath been high, and thou hast forgotten Jehovah thy God (who is bringing thee out of the land of Egypt, out of a house of servants;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 12
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 12 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 12
This chapter gives us a more full account of the reign of Rehoboam than we had before in Kings and it is a very melancholy account. Methinks we are in the book of Judges again; for,
2Ch 12:1-12
Israel was very much disgraced and weakened by being divided into two kingdoms; yet the kingdom of Judah, having both the temple and the royal city, both the house of David and the house of Aaron, might have done very well if they had continued in the way of their duty; but here we have all out of order there.
2Ch 12:13-16
The story of Rehoboam's reign is here concluded, much as the story of the other reigns concludes. Two things especially are observable here:-