Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Chronicles 12
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 12
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Chronicles 12
"And it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him." — 2 Chronicles 12:1 (ASV)
All Israel with him—that is, “all Judah and Benjamin”—all the Israelites of those two tribes.
"And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against Jehovah," — 2 Chronicles 12:2 (ASV)
Shishak ... came up ... because they had transgressed - The writer speaks from a divine, not a human, point of view. Shishak’s motive in coming up was to help Jeroboam and to extend his own influence.
"with twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen. And the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt: the Lubim, the Sukkiim, and the Ethiopians." — 2 Chronicles 12:3 (ASV)
twelve hundred chariots - This number is not unusual (1 Kings 10:26). Benhadad brought 1,200 chariots into the field against Shalmaneser II, and Ahab had a force of 2,000 chariots at the same time (compare the 1 Kings 20:1 note).
The Lubim, or “Libyans” (Daniel 11:43), were a people of Africa, distinct from the Egyptians and the Ethiopians dwelling in their immediate neighborhood. They were called Ribu or Libu by the Egyptians .
Sukkiim - This name does not occur elsewhere. The Septuagint, which rendered the word “Troglodytes,” probably regarded the Sukkiim as the “cave-dwellers” along the western shore of the Red Sea. However, the conjecture that the word means “tent-dwellers” is plausible and would point instead to a tribe of Arabs (Scenitae).
"And he took the fortified cities which pertained to Judah, and came unto Jerusalem." — 2 Chronicles 12:4 (ASV)
See 1 Kings 14:25 note.
"Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, Jehovah is righteous." — 2 Chronicles 12:6 (ASV)
They said, The Lord is righteous — that is, they acknowledged the justice of the sentence that had been pronounced against them (2 Chronicles 12:5).
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