Rehoboam and his people forsaking the law of the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt is allowed by God to invade his land, and take his fenced cities, Ch2 12:1, upon which a prophet of the Lord was sent to him and his princes, to show them the reason of it; whereupon they humbled themselves, and the Lord was pleased not to allow the enemy utterly to destroy them, yet to reduce them to servitude, and take away their riches, Ch2 12:5, and the chapter is closed with an account of the reign and death of Rehoboam, Ch2 12:13.
and had strengthened himself; built fortified cities for the defence of himself and kingdom, Ch2 11:5, he forsook the law of the Lord; after he had reigned three years, and was become strong, and thought himself safe and secure on the throne, trusting to his strength:
and all Israel with him; the greater part of them following the example of their king; of this defection, and the sins they fell into, see Kg1 14:22.
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; of whom see Kg1 11:40,
because they transgressed against the Lord; transgressed the law of the Lord by falling into idolatry and other abominable evils; the Targum is,"against the Word of the Lord.''
that came with him out of Egypt; the above numerous army came from thence with him, which was famous for horses and chariots of war, see Exo 14:7, what follow seem to have joined him after he came out of Egypt, or whom he subdued in his way; the Lubim or Lybians, inhabitants of Libya, a country near Egypt the same with the Lehabim; of whom see Gen 10:13,
the Sukkiims; who were either the Scenite Arabs, who dwelt in tents, as this word signifies; or the Troglodytes, according to the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, who dwelt in dens and caves, in which sense the word "Succah" is sometimes used, Job 38:40 and in their country was a town called Suchae, mentioned by Pliny (i); they inhabited near the Red sea; and if Shishak is the same with Sesostris, as is thought, these people were subdued by him, as Herodotus (k) and Strabo (l) testify:
and the Ethiopians; some think these were the Cushite Arabs, and that Sesostris came into Arabia is testified by the above writers; though rather the proper Ethiopians are meant, since they are joined with the Lubim or Africans; and since, as Herodotus (m) says, he ruled over Ethiopia; and Diodorus Siculus (n) says he fought with them, and obliged them to pay him tribute.
(h) Antiqu. l. 8. c. 10. sect. 2. (i) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 29. (k) Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 102. (l) Geograph. l. 16. p. 529. (m) Ut supra, (Euterpe, sive, l. 2.) c. 110. (n) Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 50.
and came to Jerusalem; there being no army to oppose him; and so Sesostris took many countries without fighting, and among the rest Phoenicia, as Manetho (o) relates, in which Judea may be included.
(o) Apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 15.
and to the princes of Judah that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak; through fear of him, and for safety and protection from him, and to consult what was to be done at this critical juncture, whether to fight him, or make peace with him on the best terms they could:
and said unto them, thus saith the Lord, ye have forsaken me; his law, his word, worship, and ordinances, Ch2 12:1,
and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak; suffered him to invade their land, take their fenced cities, and come up to Jerusalem without any opposition, as a punishment of their apostasy; and to explain this providence to them, and call them to repentance, was the prophet sent.
and they said, the Lord is righteous; in giving them up into the hand of their enemies, seeing they had forsaken him, and sinned against him.
the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, they have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them; not now, at least not altogether, Ch2 12:12,
but I will grant them some deliverance; yet not a complete one, for they were brought into servitude by Shishak, Ch2 12:8, or only for a short time:
and my wrath shall not be poured out against Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak; that is, to the uttermost; that was reserved to another time, and to be done by another hand, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries; the difference between them, how easy the one, which they might perform without taxes and tributes, and how hard and heavy the other, through the exactions and exorbitant demands of those to whom they became subjects.
the wrath of the Lord turned from him; which appeared by the departure of Shishak's army:
that he would not destroy him altogether; or make an utter destruction of him and his people:
and also in Judah things went well; prospered and succeeded after this affair of Shishak was over: or "in Judah there were good things" (p); there were some good men, priests, Levites, and many of the common people, that did good things, kept up and abode by the pure worship and service of God; and which was another reason why the Lord would not destroy them altogether now, see Gen 18:31.
(p) "opera bona", V. L. "res bonae", Tigurine version, Vatablus, Rambachius.
and reigned; twelve years more, for he reigned in all seventeen, and this was in his fifth year; of what follows in this verse; see Gill on Kg1 14:21.
because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord; by prayer and supplication, and by an attendance on the service and worship of God; for though he did these things outwardly, yet not sincerely and heartily; he did not engage in them seriously and in good earnest, with affection and fervour.