2 Chronicles 12:5

(5) Then.—And.

Shemaiah the prophet.—The section relating to his mission and its results (2Ch_12:5-8) is peculiar to the chronicle.

The princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem.—Repulsed by the Egyptian arms, they had fallen back upon Jerusalem, to defend the capital. While the invading host lay before the city, Shemaiah addressed the king and princes.

Ye have forsaken.—There is emphasis on the pronoun. Literally, Ye have forsaken me, and I also have forsaken you, in (into) the hand of Shishak. The phrase “to leave into the hand” of a foe occurs Neh_9:28. (Comp. also 2Ch_15:2; 2Ch_24:20; and Deu_31:16-17.) Here the words amount to a menace of utter destruction. (Comp. Jon_3:4.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 12:5 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.

Ver. 5. Then came Shemaiah the prophet.] See 1Ki 12:12. This was a great mercy that a prophet was sent unto them to exhort them to repentance, and to prescribe them a course.

Because of Sishak.] Who was but the vial through whose hands God poured out his wrath. {2Ch 12:7}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ch 12:5. Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah — Lest they should not readily or rightly understand the meaning of this providence, God sends a prophet to explain it, namely, the same Shemaiah that had brought them an injunction from God not to fight against the ten tribes, who plainly tells them, that the reason why Shishak prevailed against them was, not because they had been impolitic in the management of their affairs, but because they had forsaken God.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Signifying, that no calamity can come unto us except we forsake God, and that he never leaveth us till we have cast him off.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

5. Then came Shemaiah] This intervention of Shemaiah is not mentioned in 1 Kin. For an earlier appearance of the prophet see 2Ch_11:2 ff. = 1Ki_12:22 ff.

have I also left you in the hand] Rather, I also have forsaken you and delivered you into the hand.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam,.... The same as in Ch2 11:2, there called the man of God:

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

5. Shemaiah the prophet — See note on 1Ki_12:22. The powerful influence of this prophet over the king and the princes is here very noticeable. The time had not yet come when the kings of Judah dared treat Jehovah’s prophets with contempt. Compare 2Ch_16:10; 2Ch_24:19; 2Ch_33:10.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shemaiah (see Exposition,. (2Ch_11:2) The princes. These seem to have been a fruit of some original organization with Solomon, as they are not found with David. (1Ki_4:2-6) Ye have forsaken me therefore have I also left you. The same Hebrew verb is employed in both members of this sentence, and the rendering should follow in like manner. (see 2Ch_7:19-22)

Vers. 5-8.

Two messages from Jehovah.

I A MESSAGE OF WARNING. (Vers. 5, 6.)

1. By whom sent. Shemaiah the prophet, or man of God. (2Ch_11:2) When Jehovah has a message for any age, people, or individual, he can always find a messenger to bear it a Moses to go to Pharaoh, a Samuel to speak to Saul, a Nathan to send to David, an Elijah or a Micaiah to warn Ahab, a John the Baptist to preach to Israel and testify against Herod. The hour never comes without the man. When a Paul or a Polycarp, an Athanasius or an Augustine, a Calvin or a Luther, a Knox or a Wesley, is needed in the New Testament Church, he appears at the moment when most required.

2. To whom addressed. To Rehoboam and the princes of Judah whom Shishak"s invasion had caused to convene in Jerusalem. They had come together to consult about the safety of the capital; they had not called Jehovah to the council. They had not realized that in such a crisis as had arisen "vain was the help of man," and "through God alone could they do valiantly"; (Psa_60:11, Psa_60:12) that unless God kept the city, they the watchers would watch in vain. (Psa_127:1) Yet they seem to have discerned that their best efforts would prove ineffectual, and they were filled with fear. Happily Jehovah thought of them, though they forgat him.

3. In what terms it ran.

(1) It intimated a fact: "Ye have forsaken me." This showed that Jehovah had been cognizant of all that had taken place since Rehoboam got his garrisons erected, had witnessed the idolatries and unspeakable abominations of the faithless king and his coward princes, though perhaps they had reasoned that, as God was in the height of heaven, he could not know what transpired upon the earth. (Job_22:12-14) But though they had not seen him, he had observed them (Pro_15:3; Amo_9:8)

(2) It announced a consequence: "Therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak." Thus did Jehovah signify that it was he himself even more than Shishak that had come up against Rehoboam and his princes; Shishak had not appeared before their gates without his permission; and without his assistance nothing they could do would prevent them falling into Shishak"s hand. Jehovah, indeed, could avert that calamity. He could put a hook into Shishak"s nose and lead him back by the way he came, as he afterwards did to Sennacherib (2Ki_19:28; Isa_37:29) but in the mean time, as they had left him for the calves of Egypt, he had left them to be the prey of Egypt"s lord.

4. What effect it produced.

(1) Contrition, or at least seeming contrition: "They humbled themselves." To be sure, their penitence, like their previous reformation, was only skin deep. Nevertheless, it had the semblance of reality, and God accepted it as such.

(2) Confession: "They said, The Lord is righteous," i.e. in punishing them as he had done; in which was implied an acknowledgment that they had sinned. This the design of all God"s chastisements, whether national or individual, to excite personal humiliation and hearty recognition of the holiness and justice of God (Deu_8:5, Deu_8:16; Eze_20:37, . (Hos_5:15) Only confession may be on the lip where no real contrition is in the heart.

II A MESSAGE OF MERCY. (Vers. 7, 8.)

1. Its occasion. The success of the first message in the (at least seeming) penitence of the king and his princes. "God speaketh once, yea twice, (Job_33:14) to men, even to his people, who often fail to understand his first voice (1Sa_3:4; Dan_12:8; Mar_9:32; Joh_11:13) or understand but refuse to hear, (Isa_65:12) thoughoccasionally also they listen and submit. (Jon_3:5) In the first case,his second speaking may be nothing more than a repetition of the first, or an explanation of its contents; in the second, it commonly assumes the form of increased warnings and severer threatenings; in the thirds it is usually a voice of mercy following on a voice of judgment. It was so with Rehoboam and the princes of Judah.

2. Its contents.

(1) Their humiliation had been observed and accepted: "They have humbled themselves." So God still sees and regards with favour all who abase themselves before him (Jer_31:18; Psa_9:12 Psa_10:17; 1Ki_21:29)

(2) A degree, at least, of clemency would be extended towards them: "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." So God delights to meet the first advances of returning penitents with such foretastes of mercy as will lure them on to desire its full fruition.

(3) Nevertheless, a measure of correction would be laid upon them. Though Shishak should not be suffered to work his will either upon them or their city, they would, nevertheless, fall into his hand. They" should be his servants, either as captives or as tributaries; and would learn the difference between Jehovah"s rule and the domination of foreign kings. So God still deals with his people forgives them, but permits them to reap the temporal fruits of their transgression, that they may know what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake God, (Jer_2:19) and how much more easy is Christ"s yoke (Mat_11:29, Mat_11:30) than that of sin. (Lam_1:14)

Learn:

1. The omniscience of God: "All things are naked," etc., (Heb_4:13)

2. God"s compact with the soul: "The Lord is with us," etc. (2Ch_15:2)

3. The mercifulness of God: he is "long-suffering, and slow to wrath" (Exo_34:6; Psa_78:38)

4. The misery of sin: it ever entails sorrow. (Psa_32:10)

5. God"s ability to execute his own sentences: "It is a fearful thing," etc.; (Heb_10:31) "Though hand join in hand," etc. W. (Pro_11:21)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shemaiah

This is the name of a man. See how you translated this word in 2 Chronicles 11:2. (See: How to Translate Names)

so I have also given you over into Shishak's hand

Here the word "hand" represents power. Yahweh speaks of enabling Shishak's army to defeat the king and the others in Jerusalem as if he were placing them into Shishak's hand. AT: "so I have enabled Shishak to defeat you" or "so I have given you to Shishak as captives" (See: Metonymy and Metaphor)

translationWords

prophet

forsake

prince

humble

righteous

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.