2 Chronicles Chapter 12
Showing all 16 verses for 2 Chronicles Chapter 12.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. "
"Once Rehoboam had established his kingdom and made himself strong, he abandoned the LORD's law - and all Israel (Judah) did the same along with him."
Watch yourself especially closely in seasons of success and comfort, not just in hard times. It's often when things are going well that people quietly let go of the values and disciplines that got them there in the first place.
"And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, "
"In Rehoboam's fifth year as king, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, because Judah had been unfaithful to the LORD."
Actions and choices tend to catch up with you eventually, even if not immediately. Don't assume that because consequences are delayed, you've gotten away with something - use the delay wisely, to change course instead.
"With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians. "
"Shishak came with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and countless troops from Egypt - Libyans, Sukkiim and Cushites."
When consequences finally do arrive, they can feel overwhelming and much bigger than the original choice that caused them. That's worth remembering before making a choice, not just when facing its fallout.
"And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem. "
"He captured the fortified cities of Judah - the very ones Rehoboam had built up - and advanced on Jerusalem."
External security and preparation matter, but they can't substitute for integrity and genuine values at the core of your life. Don't let good structures and systems lull you into neglecting what actually holds everything together.
"Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. "
"Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, 'This is what the LORD says: You have abandoned me, so I have also abandoned you to Shishak.'"
Sometimes the most loving thing someone can do for you is tell you an honest, uncomfortable truth about the real cause of your struggles, rather than letting you keep guessing. Be willing both to hear that from others and to offer it kindly when someone needs it from you.
"Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous. "
"So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, 'The LORD is right.'"
When you're confronted honestly about something you've done wrong, the most powerful response is often simply to agree, without excuses or deflection. That kind of honest humility can turn around situations that stubbornness never could.
"And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. "
"When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, his word came to Shemaiah: 'They have humbled themselves, so I will not destroy them but will grant them some deliverance, and my anger will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.'"
Genuine humility and honest change of heart, even late, still matter and still make a real difference to what happens next - even if it doesn't erase every consequence of what came before. It's never too late to turn things around, even partially.
"Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. "
"'Nevertheless, they will become his subjects, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kingdoms of other nations.'"
Even when a consequence isn't removed entirely, it can still serve a good purpose - teaching you something valuable you might not have learned any other way. Try to find what a hard season is meant to teach you, rather than only wishing it away.
"So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. "
"So Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and carried off the treasures of the Temple and the royal palace - he took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made."
Material wealth and impressive achievements are genuinely fragile - they can be taken from you by circumstances outside your control. Build your real security on character and relationship, not on possessions or status that can be lost overnight.
"Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king’s house. "
"To replace them, King Rehoboam made bronze shields, and entrusted them to the officers of the guard who kept watch over the entrance to the royal palace."
Sometimes after a loss, all you can do is replace what's gone with something more modest and keep going. That's not failure - it's resilience, and there's dignity in continuing well even at a smaller scale than before.
"And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber. "
"Whenever the king went into the Temple, the guards would carry the bronze shields, then bring them back to the guard room afterwards."
Be honest with yourself about the difference between keeping up appearances and genuinely restoring what matters. It's fine to carry on with dignity through reduced circumstances, but don't let ceremony fool you into thinking nothing has actually changed.
"And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. "
"Because he humbled himself, the LORD's anger turned away from him, so that he was not destroyed completely - and in Judah, things went reasonably well."
Humility, even after real failure, genuinely has the power to soften the worst possible outcomes in your life. It's never wasted, and it's available to you at any point, no matter how far things have already gone wrong.
"So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty 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. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. "
"So King Rehoboam re-established himself in Jerusalem and continued to reign. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all Israel's tribes to place his name there. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman."
Even when the people responsible for something fail in significant ways, the deeper purpose or value behind that thing doesn't automatically disappear with them. Don't let one person's - or even your own - failures convince you that something meaningful is now worthless.
"And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. "
"He did evil, because he did not set his heart on seeking the LORD."
One good decision or humble moment matters and counts for something real - but it isn't the same as a consistently good life. Aim not just for isolated moments of doing the right thing, but for a settled, ongoing commitment to it as a way of life.
"Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. "
"The rest of Rehoboam's deeds, from beginning to end, are written in the records of the prophet Shemaiah and the seer Iddo, concerning genealogies. And there was constant warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam."
Some divisions, once they happen, take much longer to heal than they took to create - sometimes longer than a single lifetime. That's a reason to work hard to prevent damaging rifts in your relationships in the first place, since repair is often so much harder than prevention.
"And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. "
"Rehoboam died and was buried in the City of David; his son Abijah became king in his place."
However your own chapter ends, someone else will pick up where you left off. Think about what you're actually leaving behind for them - not just possessions or position, but the patterns, wisdom, and choices they'll inherit and have to live with.