12:1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the
kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law
of the LORD, and a all Israel with him.
(a) For such is the inconstancy of the people, that for the
most part they follow the vices of their governors.
12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand
horsemen: and the people [were] without number that came
with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the b Sukkiims, and
the Ethiopians.
(b) Who were a people of Africa called the Troglodytes
because they lived in holes.
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 c therefore have I also
left you in the hand of Shishak.
(c) Signifying that no calamity can come to us unless we
forsake God, and that he never leaves us till we have
cast him off.
12:6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled
themselves; and they said, The LORD [is] d righteous.
(d) Therefore he justly punishes you for your sins.
12:8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know
my e service, and the service of the kingdoms of the
countries.
(e) He shows that God's punishments are not to utterly
destroy his, but to chastise them, to bring them to the
knowledge of themselves, and to know how much better it
is to serve God than tyrants.
12:12 And when he f humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD
turned from him, that he would not destroy [him]
altogether: and also in Judah things went well.
(f) Which declares that God does not seek the death of a
sinner, but his conversion, (Eze 18:32).
12:13 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 g 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.
(g) That is, twelve years after he had been overcome by
Shishak, (2Ch 12:2).
