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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:1-12

Israel was very much disgraced and weakened by being divided into two kingdoms; yet the kingdom of Judah, having both the temple and the royal city, both the house of David and the house of Aaron, might have done very well if they had continued in the way of their duty; but here we have all out of order there. I. Rehoboam and his people left God: He forsook the law of the Lord, and so in effect forsook God, and all Israel with him, 2 Chron. 12:1. He had his happy triennium, when he walked in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:7

And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves ,.... Though but externally; the Lord takes notice of external humiliation, as he did of Ahab's, 1 Kings 21:29 , the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, they have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them ; not now, at least not altogether, 2 Chronicles 12:12 , but I will grant them some deliverance ; yet not a complete one, for they were brought into servitude by Shishak, 2 Chronicles 12:8 , or only for a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:8

Nevertheless, they shall be his servants ,.... tributaries to the king of Egypt: that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries ; the difference between them, how easy the one, which they might perform without taxes and tributes, and how hard and heavy the other, through the exactions and exorbitant demands of those to whom they became subjects. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Chronicles 12:8

They shall be his servants - They shall be preserved, and serve their enemies, that they may see the difference between the service of God and that of man. While they were pious, they found the service of the Lord to be perfect freedom; when they forsook the Lord, they found the fruit to be perfect bondage. A sinful life is both expensive and painful. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:1-16

A model instance of Divine goodness and opportunity prolonged to one who annulled all, and vitiated every highest privilege vouchsafed to him, by the one fact of his own infidelity of heart. We are strikingly taught, and we vividly recall from the contents of this chapter, the following lessons and facts. I. HOW VERY PRONE FORGETFULNESS OF OUR PAST SINS IS TO FOLLOW WITH SWIFT RAPIDITY ON PRESENT RESPITE FROM FEAR , RELIEF FROM SUFFERING , ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:2-12

Penalty, penitence, and forgiveness. It was not many months before Rehoboam found out the heinousness of his offence, the magnitude of his mistake; for in the path of sin comes penalty, and behind penalty steals shame. Happily for him there was mercy behind that. We look at this succession— I. AS EXPERIENCED BY THE KING OF JUDAH . First of all, following fast on his transgression, came: 1 . Divine displeasure and humiliating defeat. There came in to his palace-gates... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:5-8

Two messages from Jehovah. I. A MESSAGE OF WARNING . ( 2 Chronicles 12:5 , 2 Chronicles 12:6 .) 1 . By whom sent. Shemaiah the prophet, or man of God ( 2 Chronicles 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:7

Some deliverance . The Hebrew for "some" here is כִּמְעַט . There is plain authority ( Ruth 2:7 ; Psalms 38:10 ) for translating this word as of time, and the rendering "a little while" of the margin, will, therefore, seem preferable. But see next note, and the" altogether" of 2 Chronicles 12:12 . It has often been most justly remarked what grateful note should be taken of the fact that God always is recorded as turning such a wistful, loving eye to any symptom of repentance ( 1... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Chronicles 12:8

The genius of this verse, nevertheless, will quite admit of the Authorized Version rendering, proposed to be superseded in the last verse. This says life shall be spared, but still severe moral reckoning (that of servitude in a sense and tributariness) shall be taken with the transgressors and forsakers of the Lord! The contrast of God's service and that of men and the world again touchingly recalls the words of Christ ( Matthew 11:28-30 ). read more

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