Chapter 12
1 When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong , he abandoned the LORD ’s law , and all Israel with him .
2 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam , Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem , because they had trespassed against the LORD ,
3 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 He took the fortified cities which belonged to Judah , and came to Jerusalem .
5 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 , " The LORD says , ‘ You have forsaken me , therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak .’"
6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves ; and they said, " The LORD is righteous ."
7 When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves , the LORD ’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 Nevertheless they will be his servants , that they may know my service , and the service of the kingdoms of the countries."
9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the LORD ’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 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 As often as the king entered into the LORD ’s house , the guard came and bore them , then brought them back into the guard room .
12 When he humbled himself , the LORD ’s wrath turned from him , so as not to destroy him altogether . Moreover , there were good things found in Judah .
13 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 the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there . His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess .
14 He did that which was evil , because he didn’t set his heart to seek the LORD .
15 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 Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in David ’s city ; and Abijah his son reigned in his place .