Berean Study Bible Shishak Raids JerusalemRehoboam had secured his throne in Judah after the northern tribes broke away under Jeroboam. Once his rule was firmly established, the king and the people of Judah turned from dependence on the LORD. 2Ch 11:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah… he and all Israel with him forsook the Law of the LORD. The kingdom abandoned the covenant commands given through Moses, allowing idolatry and unfaithfulness to spread throughout Judah. Rehoboam’s failure as king shaped the spiritual direction of the nation and prepared the way for God’s judgment. Deu 31:16 And the LORD said to Moses, “You will soon rest… In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and David’s grandson, ruled Judah after the kingdom divided. His fifth year was about 925 BC, when Judah’s early political weakness was matched by growing spiritual compromise. 1Ki 14:25 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt… because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Judah had turned from covenant faithfulness through idolatry and disobedience. Their rebellion brought the judgment God had warned would follow abandonment of Him. 1Ki 14:22-24 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD,… Shishak king of Egypt Shishak, identified with Egypt’s Sheshonq I of the Twenty-second Dynasty, led a major military campaign into the land. Egyptian records at Karnak preserve a list of places associated with his conquests. 1Ki 11:40 Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam.… attacked Jerusalem The invasion exposed Judah’s inability to secure itself apart from God. Jerusalem, including its temple and royal treasures, was plundered, demonstrating that Rehoboam’s kingdom was subject to God’s discipline. 2Ki 18:13-17 In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign… with 1,200 chariots, Shishak’s chariot force displayed Egypt’s military power and gave his army speed, striking ability, and battlefield advantage. Judah was poorly positioned to resist such an invasion. 1Ki 10:26 Solomon accumulated 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horses,… 60,000 horsemen, The large cavalry force added mobility and strength to the campaign, enabling Shishak to move quickly through Judah and support his siege operations against its fortified cities. 2Sa 10:18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed… and countless troops who came with him out of Egypt— Shishak led an immense multinational army, making clear that Judah faced an overwhelming judgment rather than an ordinary border conflict. 2Ch 14:9-10 Then Zerah the Cushite came against them… Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. These peoples came from regions associated with Egypt’s western, desert, and southern territories. Their presence shows the broad reach of Shishak’s rule and the size of the coalition brought against Rehoboam. 2Ch 16:8 Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army… He captured the fortified cities of Judah Shishak’s invasion stripped Judah of key defensive strongholds, including cities positioned to guard major approaches to Jerusalem. Their loss exposed the kingdom’s weakness after Rehoboam and the people abandoned the Lord’s law. 2Ki 18:13 In the fourteenth year of Hezekiah’s reign… and came as far as Jerusalem. Shishak’s advance brought Egypt’s army to Judah’s political and spiritual center about 925 BC. Jerusalem was spared destruction, but Shishak took treasures from the temple and palace, leaving Rehoboam’s kingdom humbled and subject to Egypt. 1Ki 14:25-26 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt… Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah Shemaiah served as God’s messenger during Rehoboam’s reign. Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders had assembled in Jerusalem as the Egyptian threat approached, seeking counsel in a moment of national danger. 2Ch 11:2-4 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:… who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, Shishak, identified with Egypt’s Pharaoh Sheshonq I, invaded Judah around 925 BC. Egyptian records also preserve evidence of his campaign in the region. Jerusalem stood as Judah’s capital, its chief fortified city, and the center of worship. 1Ki 14:25-28 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt… and he said to them, “This is what the LORD says: Shemaiah delivered God’s own judgment, not personal advice. The LORD, the covenant God of Israel, addressed the king and leaders who were responsible for guiding the nation. 2Sa 12:7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!… ‘You have forsaken Me; Judah had turned from the LORD’s law and embraced the unfaithfulness that had grown during Solomon’s later years and continued under Rehoboam. Their spiritual rebellion lay behind the military crisis. 2Ch 15:2 So he went out to meet Asa and said to him,… therefore, I have forsaken you into the hand of Shishak.’” God allowed Shishak to defeat and subdue Judah as judgment for their covenant disobedience. Their abandonment of the LORD brought the consequences He had warned of, yet the message also opened the way for repentance and mercy. 2Ch 24:24 Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men,… So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves Confronted by Shemaiah’s warning and the Egyptian threat, Rehoboam and Judah’s leaders recognized that their rebellion against the Lord had brought judgment upon them. Their humility marked a change from self-reliance and idolatry to submission before God. Because they responded in repentance, the Lord restrained the full destruction that their unfaithfulness deserved. 2Ch 7:14 if My people who are called by My name humble themselves… and said, “The LORD is righteous.” Their confession accepted God’s judgment as just. Shishak’s invasion was not merely a political disaster but divine discipline for Judah’s abandonment of the Lord. Rehoboam and the leaders acknowledged that God remained righteous even as He allowed suffering to come upon the nation. Exo 9:27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron… When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, Rehoboam and Judah responded to Shemaiah’s warning by acknowledging God’s judgment. Their submission did not erase the consequences of their unfaithfulness, but it changed the severity of what they would face. 2Ki 22:19 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself… the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, God again used Shemaiah to interpret the events surrounding Shishak’s invasion. The prophet made clear that Egypt’s advance was not beyond the LORD’s control but was connected to Judah’s covenant disobedience. 2Ch 11:2-4 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God:… “They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, The LORD withheld the destruction Judah deserved. His mercy followed their repentance, showing that His judgment was neither arbitrary nor indifferent to their response. 1Ki 21:29 Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me?… but will soon grant them deliverance. Judah would not be completely overcome by Shishak. Jerusalem would remain, and the Davidic kingdom would continue despite its humiliation. Psa 34:17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears;… My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. Shishak invaded Judah and plundered Jerusalem, including treasures from the temple and royal palace, but he did not destroy the city. God used Egypt to discipline His people while preserving Jerusalem and the line of David. 1Ki 14:25-28 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt… Nevertheless, they will become his servants, Judah would not be destroyed, but Shishak’s victory brought them under Egyptian control and tribute. Their unfaithfulness had made them vulnerable to the very foreign power from which God had once delivered Israel. Jer 27:8 As for the nation or kingdom that does not serve… so that they may learn the difference Their subjection was intended to teach them through experience what their rebellion had cost. Deu 8:2 Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you… between serving Me Service to the Lord meant living under His covenant, His protection, and His righteous rule. Jos 24:15 But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD,… and serving the kings of other lands.” Service to foreign rulers meant political dependence, taxation, and humiliation. Judah would learn that abandoning the Lord’s rule did not bring freedom, but bondage to earthly powers. Deu 28:48 you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you… So King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem Shishak, also known as Sheshonk I, founded Egypt’s Twenty-Second Dynasty. He invaded Judah during Rehoboam’s reign, about 926 BC, after Judah’s leaders turned from the LORD. His campaign is also recorded on an Egyptian monument at Karnak, which lists conquered cities in the region. 1Ki 14:25 In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt… and seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. The Temple and palace contained the wealth gathered during Solomon’s prosperous reign. Their loss showed that Judah’s security and prosperity had been weakened by disobedience, even though God preserved Jerusalem from complete destruction. 1Ki 14:26 He seized the treasures of the house of the LORD… He took everything, Shishak’s army carried away the kingdom’s visible riches, leaving Rehoboam with a diminished court and a humbled nation. The invasion exposed the emptiness of relying on wealth, fortifications, and former glory apart from faithfulness to God. 2Ki 20:17 The time will surely come when everything in your palace… including the gold shields that Solomon had made. Solomon’s gold shields had displayed the splendor and strength of his kingdom. Their removal marked the decline from the peace and abundance of Solomon’s reign under Rehoboam’s rule. 1Ki 10:16-17 King Solomon made two hundred large shields… Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place After Shishak of Egypt carried off Solomon’s gold shields during his invasion of Jerusalem, Rehoboam replaced them with bronze. The substitution visibly marked Judah’s diminished wealth and honor after its unfaithfulness. Though the palace retained the appearance of royal splendor, the loss of gold revealed the kingdom’s decline from the glory enjoyed under Solomon. 1Ki 10:16-17 King Solomon made two hundred large shields… and committed them to the care of the captains of the guard Rehoboam placed the shields under the custody of the officers responsible for protecting the king and the palace. They remained symbols of royal authority, but they could not restore what Judah had lost. 1Ki 14:27 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place… on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. Displayed at the palace entrance, the bronze shields served a ceremonial and defensive purpose before all who approached the king. Their presence preserved an outward display of strength while reminding Judah that its former prosperity had been taken away. 1Ki 14:28 And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD,… And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD, Rehoboam’s visits to the temple followed established royal and religious customs. The temple in Jerusalem remained the center of Judah’s worship, and the king’s presence publicly affirmed his responsibility to honor the LORD and uphold the covenant. 1Ki 8:22-23 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD,… the guards would go with him, The royal guard accompanied Rehoboam both for protection and ceremony. Their presence reflected the dignity of the monarchy and the continuing need for security in a kingdom weakened by invasion and division. 2Ki 11:8 You must surround the king with weapons in hand… bearing the shields, These were the bronze shields Rehoboam had made to replace the gold shields taken by Shishak of Egypt. Though they preserved the appearance of royal splendor, the replacement shields stood as a visible reminder of Judah’s loss and humiliation. 1Ki 14:27 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place… and later they would return them to the guardroom. The shields were brought out only for the king’s temple visits and then stored securely. This regular practice maintained royal protocol while preserving the costly symbols of the kingdom. 1Ki 14:28 And whenever the king entered the house of the LORD,… Because Rehoboam humbled himself, Rehoboam acknowledged God’s judgment after leading Judah into unfaithfulness. His response did not erase the damage caused by his earlier sin, but it marked a genuine change in posture before the Lord. 2Ch 33:12-13 And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD… the anger of the LORD turned away from him, God restrained the full judgment Judah deserved. The invasion of Shishak had exposed the nation’s weakness and brought humiliation, yet the Lord showed mercy when Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah submitted to Him. Psa 85:3 You withheld all Your fury; You turned from Your anger… and He did not destroy him completely. Judah suffered loss, including the treasures of the temple and palace, but the kingdom was preserved. God maintained David’s line and did not abandon His covenant purposes despite Rehoboam’s failures. Jer 30:11 For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD.… Indeed, conditions were good in Judah. Though Judah was weakened and subject to Egypt for a time, the nation retained stability and continued under Rehoboam’s rule. God’s mercy allowed Judah to recover rather than be swept away. 2Ch 14:6-7 Because the land was at peace, Asa built fortified cities…
Rehoboam’s Reign and DeathAfter Solomon’s death, Rehoboam retained the throne of Judah while the ten northern tribes formed a separate kingdom under Jeroboam. Jerusalem remained the seat of David’s dynasty. 1Ki 12:17 but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites… He was forty-one years old when he became king, Rehoboam was not inexperienced in years, yet his harsh response to Israel’s request for relief helped bring about the division of the kingdom. 1Ki 14:21 Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah.… and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, His reign faced continual tension with the northern kingdom and the invasion of Pharaoh Shishak, but he preserved control of Judah and Benjamin. 2Ch 10:17 but Rehoboam still reigned over the Israelites… the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. Jerusalem was God’s appointed center of worship, where the temple testified to His covenant presence among His people. 1Ki 11:36 I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David… His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. Naamah’s Ammonite background reflects the foreign marriages within Solomon’s household, associations that contributed to the spiritual compromises of that era. 1Ki 14:31 And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried… And Rehoboam did evil Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and David’s grandson, ruled Judah after the division of the kingdom. Rather than preserving the covenant faithfulness required of Israel’s king, he tolerated and participated in the nation’s unfaithfulness to the LORD. Under his rule Judah fell into idolatry and moral corruption, bringing God’s discipline through Shishak’s invasion. 1Ki 14:22-24 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD,… because he did not set his heart Rehoboam’s failure began within. He did not firmly direct his will, desires, and decisions toward obedience to God. His actions reflected a lack of settled devotion rather than a momentary lapse. 1Ch 22:19 Now set your heart and soul to seek the LORD your God.… to seek the LORD. Rehoboam did not deliberately pursue the LORD’s guidance or order his reign according to God’s commands. Unlike David, whose life was marked by returning to the LORD, Rehoboam neglected the source of wisdom and strength needed to lead Judah faithfully. Deu 4:29 But if from there you will seek the LORD your God,… Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, ruled Judah after the kingdom divided. His reign included both periods of humility before God and later unfaithfulness, and the full account of his rule was preserved for Israel’s history. 1Ch 29:29 Now the acts of King David, from first to last,… are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the Prophet and of Iddo the Seer concerning the genealogies? Shemaiah faithfully delivered God’s word to Rehoboam during the division of the kingdom, while Iddo also recorded events connected with Judah’s kings and their family lines. These records affirmed the continuing importance of David’s royal line in God’s purposes. 2Ch 9:29 As for the rest of the acts of Solomon,… There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days. Judah and Israel remained hostile throughout the reigns of Rehoboam and Jeroboam. The divided kingdom never recovered the unity it had known under David and Solomon, and the conflict reflected the lasting consequences of the nation’s rebellion and divided loyalties. 1Ki 14:30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam… And Rehoboam rested with his fathers Rehoboam died after a troubled reign marked by the division of the kingdom and recurring conflict with Israel. Though Judah remained under David’s dynasty, his failures helped shape the spiritual and political weakness that continued in the nation. 2Ch 9:31 And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried… and was buried in the City of David. He was buried in Jerusalem, the royal city established by David and the burial place of Judah’s kings. His burial there affirmed his place in the Davidic line despite the failures of his reign. 1Ki 2:10 Then David rested with his fathers and was buried… And his son Abijah reigned in his place. Abijah succeeded Rehoboam and continued the Davidic dynasty in Judah. His reign was brief and included further conflict with the northern kingdom, showing that the division begun under Rehoboam remained unresolved. 2Ch 13:1 In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, … This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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