HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  11.8 Gath, possibly Moresheth-gath (Tell Judeideh).

  11.13–17 The priests and Levites, banned from liturgical service by Jeroboam, rally to Rehoboam. Laity join in this movement (cf. v. 16).

  11.15 Goat-demons. Cf. Lev 17.7. Originally pedestals for Yahweh, the statues of calves are interpreted in the books of Kings and in Chronicles as idolatrous images.

  11.16 Seek the LORD, a favorite phrase in Chronicles for faithfulness. Cf. 1 Chr 10.13–14.

  11.17 Three years of obedience are followed by apostasy (12.1) and the invasion of Shishak (12.2). Rehoboam’s positive behavior in his first years as king is compared to royal conduct during the reigns of David and Solomon (cf. 7.10). The end of Solomon’s reign according to 1 Kings had been highly flawed.

  11.18–23 Rehoboam establishes a household.

  11.18 Mahalath, second cousin to Rehoboam. Her paternal grandfather is David (as is Rehoboam’s), and her maternal grandfather is David’s brother Eliab. Her parents are first cousins.

  11.20 Maacah, granddaughter of David’s rebellious son Absalom (2 Sam 13–18). She is descended from Uriel and his wife Tamar, the daughter of Absalom (cf. 13.2). In 1 Kings 15.10 she is the wife of Abijah. Abijah succeeds Rehoboam on the throne even though he is not the eldest son (cf. v. 22).

  11.21 Rehoboam’s numerous wives and concubines are far fewer than those of his father, Solomon (1 Kings 11.17; but these wives of Solomon are not mentioned in Chronicles). Rehoboam’s wives serve as signs of God’s blessing.

  2 CHRONICLES 12

  Egypt Attacks Judah

  1When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he grew strong, he abandoned the law of the LORD, he and all Israel with him. 2In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem 3with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand cavalry. A countless army came with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians.a 4He took the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. 5Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the officers of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the LORD: You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.” 6Then the officers of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The LORD is in the right.” 7When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying: “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8Nevertheless they shall be his servants, so that they may know the difference between serving me and serving the kingdoms of other lands.”

  9So King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made; 10but King Rehoboam made in place of them shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 11Whenever the king went into the house of the LORD, the guard would come along bearing them, and would then bring them back to the guardroom. 12Because he humbled himself the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to destroy them completely; moreover, conditions were good in Judah.

  Death of Rehoboam

  13So King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. 14He did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

  15Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of the prophet Shemaiah and of the seer Iddo, recorded by genealogy? There were continual wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16Rehoboam slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David; and his son Abijah succeeded him.

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  a Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

  12.1–14 Cf. 1 Kings 14.25–28.

  12.1 Abandoned, one of the chief terms for disobedience in Chronicles; see v. 5. Specific misdeeds of Judah are listed in 1 Kings 14.22–24. The law of the LORD. The Pentateuch probably had canonical status by the time of the Chronicler.

  12.2 Unfaithful, another common term (see note on 12.1) for disobedience in Chronicles, without parallel in 1 Kings 14.25. Shishak (Shoshenq I, ca. 945–924 BCE), founder of the twenty-second (Libyan) dynasty in Egypt. His own account of this battle, recorded on the walls of the Amun-Re temple at Karnak, lists more than 150 towns conquered in Palestine.

  12.3 Libyans, people from the North African coast, just west of Egypt. Sukkiim, a group of Libyan forces from the western desert. Ethiopians. Ethiopia in biblical times was the region between the first and second cataracts of the Nile, south of Aswan, and was not identical with modern Ethiopia.

  12.4 Fortified cities. Cf. 11.6–10. Aijalon occurs in 11.10 and in Shishak’s list. According to Shishak’s account, his major attack was on the Negeb region in the south and on Israel in the north. At least part of his forces moved toward Gibeon, where Shishak may have received the submission and tribute of Rehoboam. This would explain why the city was spared, according to the Bible, and account for the lack of any reference to Jerusalem in Shishak’s account. Thereafter, Shishak turned north and invaded Israel.

  12.5–8 The speech by Shemaiah (cf. 11.2) does not occur in 1 Kings.

  12.5 Exact retribution is described in this verse. For the word abandon, see 1 Chr 28.9; 2 Chr 15.2; 24.20 (where the term is translated forsaken).

  12.6 The government’s repentance takes the form of its leaders humbling themselves (cf. 7.14; 12.7, 12) and confessing the righteousness of the Lord.

  12.7 The Lord’s acceptance of their repentance fulfills the promise in the divine oracle delivered to Solomon in 7.14 and explains why Jerusalem escapes the full brunt of Shishak’s attack.

  12.8 Service to a foreign king would be more burdensome than service to the Lord.

  12.9 King Shishak…Jerusalem. The first half of this verse repeats the last part of v. 2.

  12.10 Judah’s diminished circumstances lead Rehoboam to replace the shields of gold with shields of bronze.

  12.12 Conditions were good in Judah, better “in Judah there was some good.” Positive retribution explains in part the sparing of Rehoboam from more serious attack.

  12.13–16 Cf. 1 Kings 14.21–22, 29–31.

  12.13–14 The summary of Rehoboam’s reign appears after Shishak’s invasion in Chronicles, instead of before it as in Kings.

  12.13 In Jerusalem. 1 Kings 14.21 reads “in Judah.” Naamah the Ammonite. Note the foreign origin of Rehoboam’s mother, who is mentioned twice in 1 Kings (14.21, 31).

  12.14 The effects of Rehoboam’s evil are illustrated in this chapter. To seek is the opposite of to abandon (v. 1).

  12.15 Chronicles changes the “Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah” from 1 Kings 14.29 into prophetic sources written by Shemaiah and Iddo. Genealogy, unclear, perhaps a reference to another source.

  2 CHRONICLES 13

  Abijah Reigns over Judah

  1In the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. 2He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

  Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3Abijah engaged in battle, having an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand picked men; and Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with eight hundred thousand picked mighty warriors. 4Then Abijah stood on the slope of Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, “Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! 5Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? 6Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord; 7and certain worthless scoundrels gathered around him and d
efied Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them.

  8“And now you think that you can withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made as gods for you. 9Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the descendants of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to be consecrated with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are no gods. 10But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. We have priests ministering to the LORD who are descendants of Aaron, and Levites for their service. 11They offer to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt offerings and fragrant incense, set out the rows of bread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand so that its lamps may burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him. 12See, God is with us at our head, and his priests have their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O Israelites, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors; for you cannot succeed.”

  13Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come on them from behind; thus his troopsa were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14When Judah turned, the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15Then the people of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the people of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 16The Israelites fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hands. 17Abijah and his army defeated them with great slaughter; five hundred thousand picked men of Israel fell slain. 18Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors. 19Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephronb with its villages. 20Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah; the LORD struck him down, and he died. 21But Abijah grew strong. He took fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22The rest of the acts of Abijah, his behavior and his deeds, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

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  a Heb they

  b Another reading is Ephrain

  13.1–14.1 Abijah in Chronicles wins a victory against the Northern Kingdom and preaches to his enemy; in 1 Kings 15.3–6 Abijam (note spelling) continues the sins of his ancestors and survives only because of God’s loyalty to David.

  13.2 Micaiah, Uriel. Abijah has a different mother and grandfather in 1 Kings 15.2, Maacah and Abishalom, respectively. The source for the information about constant warfare is 1 Kings 15.7. Cf. 1 Kings 15.6, which reports war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

  13.3 The size of the armies is enormous (cf. 2 Sam 24.9). God helps Abijah and Judah to victory despite their being outnumbered two to one.

  13.4–12 The speech of Abijah was composed by the Chronicler and reflects his theology.

  13.4 Mount Zemaraim. Cf. Josh 18.22. The territory of Benjamin served as a kind of buffer between the North and the South.

  13.5 Covenant of salt, an everlasting covenant. Cf. Lev 2.13; Num 18.19. The covenant with David is everlasting.

  13.6–7 Jeroboam is criticized for rebellion and for associating with the wrong crowd; Rehoboam’s fault is attributed to his youth. With the pious Abijah on the throne, there is no reason for the North to rebel.

  13.8–11 The sin of the Northern Kingdom is balanced by the faithfulness of the Southern Kingdom. The North resists God’s kingdom as manifested in the Davidic dynasty (1 Chr 17.14), worships the golden calves as gods (2 Chr 11.15), drives out the Aaronite priests and Levites, and makes priests out of all who step forward with a gift in their hand (cf. 11.14–15). Abijah confesses the faith of his people in the Lord (cf. v. 18) and states that the South has not abandoned him (while the North has; 12.1). The legitimate Aaronite priests and the Levites carry out the appropriate sacrifices each day.

  13.12 With God on the side of Judah and the priests ready to blow their trumpets to initiate holy war, the situation of the North is hopeless.

  13.13–20 A battle report.

  13.13 Judah is outnumbered and trapped between two wings of Israel’s army.

  13.14–15 Trumpet blasts and battle cries induce God to intervene.

  13.16–17 Judah’s role is to pursue a fleeing enemy. The casualties are caused by divine intervention; the action of the Judahite army seems incidental to the war itself. Five hundred thousand. In all of World War II the United States had about 400,000 fatal casualties.

  13.19 Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron. Abijah expands his territory toward the north by taking these cities of Benjamin (Josh 18.21–24).

  13.20 The verse implies that Jeroboam outlived Abijah (cf. 1 Kings 15.9). According to 1 Kings 14.20, Jeroboam seems to have died peacefully.

  13.21 Abijah’s many wives and children indicate divine favor. Cf. 11.22. Note how Abijah also grew strong.

  13.22 Story, lit. “the midrash.” See the visions of Iddo in 9.29 and his records in 12.15. In 1 Kings 15.7 the sources are given as the “Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah.” Chronicles turns this into a prophetic record.

  2 CHRONICLES 14a

  Asa Reigns

  1So Abijah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa succeeded him. In his days the land had rest for ten years.

  2b Asa did what was good and right in the sight of the LORD his God. 3He took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, hewed down the sacred poles,c 4and commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to keep the law and the commandment. 5He also removed from all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him. 6He built fortified cities in Judah while the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the LORD gave him peace. 7He said to Judah, “Let us build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars; the land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered. 8Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and two hundred eighty thousand troops from Benjamin who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty warriors.

  Ethiopian Invasion Repulsed

  9Zerah the Ethiopiand came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11Asa cried to the LORD his God, “O LORD, there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let no mortal prevail against you.” 12So the LORD defeated the Ethiopianse before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopianscf fled. 13Asa and the army with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopianscg fell until no one remained alive; for they were broken before the LORD and his army. The people of Judahh carried away a great quantity of booty. 14They defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD was on them. They plundered all the cities; for there was much plunder in them. 15They also attacked the tents of those who had livestock,i and carried away sheep and goats in abundance, and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

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  a Ch 13.23 in Heb

  b Ch 14.1 in Heb

  c Heb Asherim

  d Or Nubian; Heb Cushite

  e Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

  f Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

  g Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

  h Heb They

  i Meaning of Heb uncertain

  14.1 Rest, a characteristic feature of pious reigns (cf. vv. 5–6; 1 Chr 22.9). Ten years, proper retribution for the pious king Asa; but 1
Kings 15.16 speaks of continual warfare between Baasha and Asa.

  14.2–8 Cf. 1 Kings 15.11. The Chronicler omits 1 Kings 15.12 and does not return to the Kings text until 15.16 (1 Kings 15.13).

  14.3 The high places are not removed by the king according to a later summary (15.17; 1 Kings 15.14). Asa’s actions in these verses correspond to the directives of Deut 7.5; 12.3; 16.21–22 and make him a reformer somewhat like Hezekiah and Josiah.

  14.4 Seek, a term for faithfulness that occurs nine times in the three chapters dealing with Asa.

  14.5 Incense altars or shrines; the meaning of the word in Hebrew is uncertain.

  14.6–7 Asa’s obedience brings peace and provides the wherewithal to build. Divine protection, however, would seem to obviate the need for additional fortified cities.

  14.7 We have sought him. Many emend the text correctly to read “He has sought us.”

  14.8 The army of 580,000 shows the divine favor that rests upon Asa. The army, which lacks horses and chariots, is roughly half the size of Zerah’s (v. 9).

  14.9–15 Asa shows complete reliance upon the Lord.

  14.9 Zerah, otherwise unknown. The Ethiopian, unclear since it is unlikely that Zerah actually came from Cush/Nubia. A million men. The number dramatizes the danger posed by Zerah and the fact that the Lord helps the weak Southern Kingdom (v. 11). Three hundred chariots, a more realistic number, or a small number because Zerah and the Ethiopians were seminomadic (note the camels and the tent dwellings in v. 15). Mareshah, a city near Lachish, fortified by Rehoboam (11.8).