2 Chronicles 12

1 Once Rehoboam was secure on the throne and was sure of his power, he together with all the Israelites abandoned the law of the Lord.

It came about, when Rehoboam's reign was established and he was strong, that he abandoned the law of Yahweh—and all Israel with him.

2 In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, came and attacked Jerusalem because they had been unfaithful to God.

It happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem, because the people had been unfaithful to Yahweh.

3 He came from Egypt with 1,200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen, and an army that couldn't be counted Egypt—Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.

He came with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. Soldiers without number came with him from Egypt: Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.

4 He conquered the fortified towns of Judah and then approached Jerusalem.

He captured the fortified cities that belonged to Judah and came to Jerusalem.

5 Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who had run for safety Jerusalem because of Shishak. He told them, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to Shishak.’”

Now Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak. Shemaiah said to them, “This is what Yahweh says: You have forsaken me, so I have also given you over into Shishak's hand.”

6 The leaders of Israel and the king admitted they were wrong and said, “The Lord is right.”

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

7 When the Lord saw that they had repented, he sent a message to Shemaiah, saying, “They have repented. I won't destroy them, and I will soon save them. My anger won't be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.

When Yahweh saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of Yahweh came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have humbled themselves. I will not ruin them; I will rescue them to some extent, and my anger will not pour out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak's hand.

8 Even so they will become his subjects, so that they can learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of earth.”

Nevertheless, they will be his servants, so that they may understand what it is to serve me and to serve the rulers of the other countries.”

9 King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took the treasures of the Lord's Temple and the treasures of the royal palace. He took away everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.

So Shishak, king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures in the house of Yahweh, and the treasures in the king's house. He took everything away; he also took the shields of gold that Solomon had made.

10 Later Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields and gave them to be looked after by the commanders of the guard stationed at the entrance to the royal palace.

King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and entrusted them into the hands of the commanders of the guard, who guarded the doors to the king's house.

11 Whenever the king would enter the Temple of the Lord the guards would go with him, carrying the shields, and then take them back to the guardroom.

It happened that whenever the king entered the house of Yahweh, the guards would carry them; then they would bring them back into the guardhouse.

12 Because Rehoboam repented, the anger of the Lord did not fall on him, and the Lord did not destroy him completely. Things went well in Judah.

When Rehoboam humbled himself, Yahweh's anger turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely; besides, there was still some good to be found in Judah.

13 King Rehoboam became powerful in Jerusalem. He was forty-one when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel where he would be honored. The name of his mother was Naamah the Ammonite.

So King Rehoboam made his kingship strong in Jerusalem, and thus he reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Yahweh had chosen from all the tribes of Israel so that he might put his name there. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite woman.

14 But Rehoboam did what was evil because he did not commit himself to following the Lord.

He did what was evil, because he did not fix his heart to seek Yahweh.

15 What Rehoboam did, from beginning to end, is written down in the records of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer dealing with genealogies. However, Rehoboam and Jeroboam were always at war with each other.

As for the other matters concerning Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the writings of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, which also have records of genealogies and the constant wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam?

16 Rehoboam died and was buried in the City of David. His son Abijah took over as king.

Rehoboam slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David; Abijah his son became king in his place.