2 Chronicles 12

1 And when the kingdom of Rehoboam had been strengthened and fortified, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all of Israel with him.

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

2 Then, in the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam, Shishak, the king of Egypt, ascended against Jerusalem (for they had sinned against the Lord)

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

3 with one thousand two hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. And the common people could not be numbered who had arrived with him from Egypt, namely, the Libyans, and the Troglodytes, and the Ethiopians.

with 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.

4 And he seized the most fortified cities in Judah, and he went even to Jerusalem.

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

5 Then Shemaiah, the prophet, entered to Rehoboam, and to the leaders of Judah who had gathered together in Jerusalem while fleeing from Shishak, and he said to them: “Thus says the Lord: You have abandoned me, and so I have abandoned you into the hand of Shishak.”

Now 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, “Yahweh says, ‘You have forsaken me, therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

6 And the leaders of Israel, and the king, being in consternation, said, “The Lord is just.”

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

7 And when the Lord had seen that they were humbled, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying: “Because they have been humbled, I will not disperse them. And I will give to them a little help, and my fury will not rain down upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

When Yahweh saw that they humbled themselves, Yahweh’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.

8 Yet truly, they shall serve him, so that they may know the difference between my servitude, and the servitude of a kingdom of the lands.”

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

9 And so Shishak, the king of Egypt, withdrew from Jerusalem, taking up the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the house of the king. And he took away everything with him, even the gold shields that Solomon had made.

So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of Yahweh’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.

10 In place of these, the king made bronze ones, and he delivered them to the leaders of the shield bearers, who were guarding the vestibule of the palace.

King 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.

11 And when the king would enter into the house of the Lord, the shield bearers would arrive and take them, and they would carry them back to their armory.

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

12 Yet truly, because they were humbled, the wrath of the Lord turned away from them, and so they were not utterly destroyed. And indeed, good works were also found in Judah.

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

13 Therefore, king Rehoboam was strengthened in Jerusalem, and he reigned. He was forty-one years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel, so that he might confirm his name there. Now the name of his mother was Naamah, an Ammonite.

So 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 Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

14 But he did evil, and he did not prepare his heart so as to seek the Lord.

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

15 Truly, the works of Rehoboam, the first and the last, have been written in the books of Shemaiah, the prophet, and of Iddo, the seer, and diligently set forth. And Rehoboam and Jeroboam fought against one another during all their days.

Now 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.

16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the City of David. And his son, Abijah, reigned in his place.

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