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2 Chronicles 12:13

12:12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. and also: or, and yet in Judah there were good things
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 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.

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So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

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 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.

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 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.

12:14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. prepared: or, fixed

What does 2 Chronicles 12:13 mean?

2 Chronicles 12:13 is a verse in the book of 2 Chronicles, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include מֶלֶךְ (melek), רְחַבְעָם (Rᵉchabʻâm), חָזַק (châzaq). It connects to 22 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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So
kingמֶלֶךְmelek/meh'-lek/H4428a king
RehoboamרְחַבְעָםRᵉchabʻâm/rekh-ab-awm'/H7346Rechabam, an Israelite king
strengthenedחָזַקchâzaq/khaw-zak'/H2388to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively, courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer
himself
in
Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםYᵉrûwshâlaim/yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im/H3389Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
and
reigned:מָלַךְmâlak/maw-lak'/H4427to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
for
RehoboamרְחַבְעָםRᵉchabʻâm/rekh-ab-awm'/H7346Rechabam, an Israelite king
was
oneאֶחָדʼechâd/ekh-awd'/H259properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
and
fortyאַרְבָּעִיםʼarbâʻîym/ar-baw-eem'/H705forty
yearsשָׁנֶהshâneh/shaw-neh'/H8141a year (as a revolution of time)
oldבֵּןbên/bane/H1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
when
he
began
to
reign,מָלַךְmâlak/maw-lak'/H4427to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
and
he
reignedמָלַךְmâlak/maw-lak'/H4427to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel
seventeenשֶׁבַעshebaʻ/sheh'-bah/H7651seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number
yearsשָׁנֶהshâneh/shaw-neh'/H8141a year (as a revolution of time)
in
Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםYᵉrûwshâlaim/yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im/H3389Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
the
cityעִירʻîyr/eer/H5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
which
the
LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
had
chosenבָּחַרbâchar/baw-khar'/H977properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select
out
of
all
the
tribesשֵׁבֶטshêbeṭ/shay'-bet/H7626a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan
of
Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלYisrâʼêl/yis-raw-ale'/H3478Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
to
putשׂוּםsûwm/soom/H7760to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
his
nameשֵׁםshêm/shame/H8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
there.
And
his
mother'sאֵםʼêm/ame/H517a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father))
nameשֵׁםshêm/shame/H8034an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
was
NaamahנַעֲמָהNaʻămâh/nah-am-aw'/H5279Naamah, the name of an antediluvian woman, of an Ammonitess, and of a place in Palestine
an
Ammonitess.עַמּוֹנִיתʻAmmôwnîyth/am-mo-neeth'/H5985an Ammonitess

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 12:13

CLARKE · whole chapter
Rehoboam and his subjects, forsaking the Lord, are delivered into the hands of Shishak, king of Egypt, 2Chr 12:1-4 . Shemaiah the prophet remonstrates with them, and they humble themselves, and Jerusalem is not destroyed; but Shishak takes away all the treasures, and the golden shields, instead of which Rehoboam makes shields of brass, 2Chr 12:5-12 . He reigns badly seventeen years, dies, and is succeeded by his son Abijah, 2Chr 12:13-16 . Verse 1 He forsook the law of the Lord - This was after the three years mentioned 2Chr 11:17 . Verse 2 Shishak king of Egypt - Concerning this man, and the motive which led him to attack the Jews, see the note on 1Kgs 14:31 . Transgressed against the Lord - "Against the Word of the Lord." - Targum. Verse 3 The Lubims - Supposed to be a people of Libya, adjoining to Egypt; sometimes called Phut in Scripture, as the people are called Lehabim and Ludim. The Sukkiims - The Troglodytes, a people of Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. They were called Troglodytes, Τρωγλοδυται, οἱ τας τρωγλας οικουντες, "because they dwelt in caves." - Hesych. This agrees with what Pliny says of them, Troglodytae specus excavant, haec illis domus; "The Troglodytes dig themselves caves; and these serve them for houses." This is not very different from the import of the original name סכיים Sukkiyim, from סכה sachah, to cover or overspread; (hence סוך such, a tabernacle); the people who were covered (emphatically) under the earth. The Septuagint translate by the word Τρωγλοδυται, Troglodytes. The Ethiopians - כושים Cushim. Various people were called by this name, particularly a people bordering on the northern coast of the Red Sea; but these are supposed to have come from a country of that name on the south of Egypt. Verse 6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves - This is not mentioned in the parallel place, 1Kgs 14:25-29 : this was the sole reason why Jerusalem was not at this time totally destroyed, and the house of David entirely cut off; for they were totally incapable of defending themselves against this innumerable host. Verse 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. Verse 9 Took away the treasures - Such a booty as never had before, nor has since, come into the hand of man. The shields of gold - These shields were the mark of the king's body-guard: it was in imitation of this Eastern magnificence that Alexander constituted his Argyraspides, adorned with the spoils taken from Darius. See Quintus Curtius, lib. viii., c. 5, et alibi. Verse 13 Was one and forty years old - Houbigant thinks he was but sixteen years old when he began to reign; and brings many and forcible arguments to prove that the number forty-one must be a mistake. That he was young when he came to the throne, is evident from his consulting the young men that were brought up with him, 2Chr 10:8 , 2Chr 10:10 . They were young men then; and if he was brought up with them, he must have been young then also. Besides, Abijah, in his speech to Jeroboam, 2Chr 13:7 , says that at the time Rehoboam came to the throne he was tender-hearted, and therefore could not withstand the children of Belial raised up against him by Jeroboam: but surely at that time no man could be reputed young and tender-hearted - quite devoid of experience, who was above forty years of age. Besides, if this reading were allowed, it would prove that he was born before his father Solomon began to reign, for Solomon reigned only forty years, and Rehoboam immediately succeeded him. Verse 15 Concerning genealogies - "In the book of the genealogy of the family of David." - Targum. Verse 16 Abijah his son - Concerning the many varieties in this king's name, see the note on 1Kgs 14:31 . Introduction
HENRY_FULL · 2 Chronicles 12:13–16
Jeroboam Defeated by Abijah. ( b. c. 965.) 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 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. 14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord . 15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead. The story of Rehoboam's reign is here concluded, much as the story of the other reigns concludes. Two things especially are observable here:—1. That he was at length pretty well fixed in his kingdom, v. 13 . His fenced cities in Judah did not answer his expectation, so he now strengthened himself in Jerusalem, which he made it his business to fortify, and there he reigned seventeen years, in the city which the Lord had chosen to put his name there. This intimates his honour and privilege, that he had his royal seat in the holy city, which yet was but an aggravation of his impiety—near the temple, but far from God. Frequent skirmishes there were between his subjects and Jeroboam's, such as amounted to continual wars, ( v. 15 ), but he held his own, and reigned, and, as it should seem, did not so grossly forsake the law of God as he had done ( v. 1 ) in his fourth year. 2. That he was never rightly fixed in his religion, v. 14 . He never quite cast off God; and yet in this he did evil, that he prepared not, he engaged not, his heart to seek the Lord. See what the fault is laid upon. (1.) He did not serve the Lord because he did not seek the Lord. He did not pray, as Solomon did, for wisdom and grace. If we prayed better, we should be every way better. Or he did not consult the word of God, did not seek to that as his oracle, nor take directions from it. (2.) He made nothing of his religion because he did not set his heart to it, never minded it with any closeness of application, and never any hearty disposition to it, nor ever came up to a steady resolution in it. What little goodness he had was transient and passed away like the morning cloud. He did evil because he was never determined for that which is good. Those are easily drawn by Satan to any evil who are wavering and inconstant in that which is good and are never persuaded to make religion their business.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Numbers 10:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Joshua 6:6

And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.

1 Chronicles 6:33

And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of Shemuel, waited: Heb. stood

1 Chronicles 6:39

And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea,

1 Chronicles 15:16

And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

1 Chronicles 15:24

And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

1 Chronicles 15:27

And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. song: or, carriage

1 Chronicles 16:4

And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:

1 Chronicles 16:6

Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

1 Chronicles 16:41

And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever;

1 Chronicles 16:42

And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters. porters: Heb. for the gate

1 Chronicles 23:5

Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith.

1 Chronicles 23:30

And to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at even;

1 Chronicles 25:1

Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was:

1 Chronicles 25:6

All these were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. according: Heb. by the hands of the king

2 Chronicles 29:25

And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was the commandment of the LORD by his prophets. commandment of the LORD: Heb. commandment by the hand of the LORD by: Heb. by the hand of

Ezra 3:10

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

Ezra 3:11

And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Psalms 50:1

A Psalm of Asaph. The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. of: or, for Asaph

Psalms 62:1

To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. Truly: or, Only waiteth: Heb. is silent

Revelation 15:6

And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

Revelation 19:8

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. white: or, bright

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with 2 Chronicles 12:13.

Exodus 14:8

And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.

Genesis 36:31

And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

Genesis 40:5

And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.

Genesis 5:13

And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:

Genesis 8:13

And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

Frequently asked questions

What does 2 Chronicles 12:13 say?

2 Chronicles 12:13 (King James Version) reads: "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 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."

Is 2 Chronicles 12:13 in the Old or New Testament?

2 Chronicles 12:13 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of 2 Chronicles.

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