2 Chronicles 12 explained: Gold Shields Turned to Bronze

Secure and drifting (vv. 1-4)

Once Rehoboam felt his throne was safe, he and the people stopped keeping God's law, and the writer ties Egypt's invasion directly to this. Shishak, known from Egyptian records as Shoshenq I, overran Judah's newly fortified towns with a huge army, and a temple wall at Karnak in Egypt still lists places from his campaign in this region.

A prophet's blunt message (vv. 5-8)

The prophet Shemaiah tells the frightened leaders that because they left God, God has left them to Shishak, and they humble themselves and admit God is in the right. God then promises not to destroy Jerusalem, but they will still serve Egypt for a time so they feel the difference between serving God and serving foreign kings.

Gold swapped for bronze (vv. 9-11)

Shishak took the treasures of the temple and palace, including the gold shields Solomon had made, so Rehoboam had bronze copies carried by his guards when he went to the temple. Many readers see this as a picture of a kingdom keeping up appearances after its real glory was gone.

Spared, with some good left (v. 12)

Because the king humbled himself, God's anger turned away and Judah was not wiped out. The writer adds that some good remained in Judah, which may mean good conditions, good people, or both; the Hebrew can be read either way.

A mixed final verdict (vv. 13-16)

Rehoboam ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem amid constant fighting with Jeroboam's northern kingdom, yet the writer sums him up as doing evil because he never set his heart on seeking God. The point seems to be that one moment of humility did not become a lasting change.

Key verse: 2 Chronicles 12:12

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on whether the writer's pattern, where unfaithfulness brings national disaster and humility brings rescue, describes how God still deals with nations today or belonged specifically to ancient Israel's covenant with God.

Something to think about

Why do you think people, whether individuals or whole countries, often hold to their principles more tightly in hard times than in comfortable ones?