Chronicles of the Past Dynasties_Chapter 12

The kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and when he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all the Israelites followed him.

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shezzar of Egypt came up to attack Jerusalem because the king and the people had sinned against the Lord.

Shezzah brought 1200 chariots and 60000 horsemen, and there were countless people who followed him out of Egypt, including the Lubians, Sukhites, and Ethiopians.

He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.

At that time, the leaders of Judah gathered in Jerusalem because of Shisa. The prophet Shemaiah went to see Rehoboam and the leaders and said to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:’ You have abandoned me, so I have put you into the hands of Shezzah. ‘.

So the king and all the leaders of Israel humbled themselves and said, The Lord is righteous.

When the Lord saw that they were ashamed, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, Because they were ashamed, I will not destroy them. I will give them a little salvation, and I will not pour out my anger on Jerusalem through the hand of Shezzah.

However, they will be servants of Shezzah, so that they may know the difference between serving me and serving the Gentiles.

So King Shezzar of Egypt came up and took Jerusalem, and took away all the treasures of the temple of the Lord and the king’s palace. He also took away the gold shields that Solomon had made.

King Rehoboam made copper shields instead of the gold ones and handed them over to the chief guard who guarded the entrance of the king’s palace.

Whenever the king enters the temple of the Lord, the guards take this shield and then return it to the guard room.

When the king humbled himself, the anger of the Lord turned away and did not destroy him completely, and there were also good things in Judah.

King Rehoboam strengthened himself and reigned in Jerusalem. He was forty-one years old when he ascended to the throne, and he reigned in Jerusalem, the city chosen by the Lord from all the tribes of Israel, for seventeen years. Rehoboam’s mother’s name was Namah, an Ammonite.

Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his mind on seeking the Lord.

Are not all the acts of Rehoboam written in the annals of Shemaiah the prophet and Iddo the seer, from beginning to end? Rehoboam and Jeroboam often fought.

Rehoboam slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David. His son Abijah succeeded him as king.