Charles Spurgeon Commentary 2 Chronicles 12:9

"So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king`s house: he took all away: he took away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made." — 2 Chronicles 12:9 (ASV)

So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD,

The temple was always very rich. Shishak came and stripped it.

Everything there that was really valuable was taken away.

And the treasures of the king's house; he took all: He could not very well take any more.

That is generally the way with the devil. God is satisfied with tithes; but Shishak and Satan take all.

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.

He did not plunder the people; he was contented with the loot of the temple and the palace. These were comparatively easy terms for the conquered nation, and one wonders how such a powerful king as Shishak could have been so satisfied in those days. But God has the hearts of all men under His control, and even when He lets a powerful foe go out against His people, He still restrains him when He pleases. What a mercy it is for us that, when God chastens us, there is an end to it!

It is always in measure. He does not let loose the fullness and the fierceness of His wrath, as He will upon the castaways in eternity; but when He lays His rod upon us, He counts every stripe. Forty stripes save one was all that an Israelite might have to endure; and, surely, God often stops far short of that number when He deals with us. However, Shishak humiliated the king and his people by taking away the treasures of the temple and the palace; and, among the rest of his plunder, he carried away the shields of gold which Solomon had made.