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英文原文
This chapter gives us a more full account of the reign of Rehoboam than we had before in Kings and it is a very melancholy account. Methinks we are in the book of Judges again; for, I. Rehoboam and his people did evil in the sight of the Lord, 2Ch 12:1. II. God thereupon sold them into the hands of Shishak, king of Egypt, who greatly oppressed them, 2Ch 12:2-4. III. God sent a prophet to them, to expound to them the judgment and to call them to repentance, 2Ch 12:5. IV. They thereupon humbled themselves, 2Ch 12:6. V. God, upon their repentance, turned from his anger (2Ch 12:7,12) and yet left them under the marks of his displeasure, 2Ch 12:8-11. Lastly, Here is a general character of Rehoboam and his reign, with the conclusion of it, 2Ch 12:13-16.
1-12
Abijah's Reign over Judah (970 BC)
繁體中文
亞比雅作猶大王（主前 970 年）
¹ 羅波安的國權一經堅立、他一強盛，就離棄耶和華的律法，以色列眾人也隨從他。 ² 羅波安王第五年，埃及王示撒上來攻取耶路撒冷；因為他們得罪了耶和華。 ³ 他帶著戰車一千二百輛，馬兵六萬；跟隨他從埃及出來的民多得無數——路比人、蘇基人和古實人。 ⁴ 他攻取了猶大的堅固城，就來到耶路撒冷。 ⁵ 那時先知示瑪雅來見羅波安，和因示撒而聚集在耶路撒冷的猶大諸首領，對他們說：「耶和華如此說：你們離棄了我，所以我使你們落在示撒手裡。」 ⁶ 於是以色列的首領和王自卑，說：「耶和華是公義的。」 ⁷ 耶和華見他們自卑，耶和華的話就臨到示瑪雅說：「他們既自卑，我必不滅絕他們；必使他們略得拯救；我的烈怒必不藉示撒的手倒在耶路撒冷。 ⁸ 然而他們必作他的僕人，使他們知道服事我與服事地上列國有何分別。」 ⁹ 於是埃及王示撒上來攻取耶路撒冷，奪了耶和華殿裡和王宮裡的寶物，盡都拿去；又奪了所羅門所造的金盾牌。 ¹⁰ 羅波安王造銅盾牌代替那金盾牌，交給守衛王宮門口的護衛長手中。 ¹¹ 王每逢進耶和華殿的時候，護衛兵就拿這盾牌，事後仍抬回護衛房。 ¹² 王自卑的時候，耶和華的怒氣就轉離他，不將他滅盡；並且那時在猶大也有善行。
以色列分為兩國，大受屈辱、元氣大傷；然而猶大國既有聖殿和京城，又有大衛家和亞倫家，若繼續盡自己的本分，原可安泰無虞；但這裡我們看到那裡一切都失了序。
一、羅波安和他的百姓離棄了神：他「離棄了耶和華的律法」，實際上就是離棄了神，「以色列眾人也隨從他」（代下十二1）。他曾有過三年幸福的時光，那時他行在大衛和所羅門的道上（代下十一17）；但這段時間一過，他在敬拜神的事上就漸漸懈怠了；究竟是在哪些事上，聖經沒有明說，但他退後了，猶大也隨他退後——在此被稱為「以色列」，因為他們走上了耶羅波安引誘以色列國所走的邪路。他乃是在「國權一經堅立、他一強盛」之時如此行。當他以為自己的寶座還不穩妥時，他便堅守本分，好使神作他的朋友；但當他發覺寶座相當穩固時，就以為再不需要宗教了——沒有它他也夠安全了。這樣，「愚頑人安逸，必敗壞自己。耶書崙漸漸肥胖，就踢跳。」人在興旺、不覺有禍患之時，就易於對神說：「離開我們吧。」
二、神很快將禍患加在他們身上，為要喚醒他們，在他們的心剛硬以先挽回他們歸向悔改。羅波安第四年他們才開始敗壞自己，第五年埃及王就帶著大軍上來，「攻取了猶大的堅固城，來到耶路撒冷」（代下十二2、3、4）。這樣的大災禍，在他們開始偏離敬拜神之後這麼快就臨到，又是出於他們幾乎沒有理由防備的一方（前一王朝與埃及曾有許多友好的往來），且來勢如此猛烈——羅波安最近才堅固、駐防、並作為國家安全屏障而極力倚靠的「猶大諸堅固城」，竟毫無抵抗地立即落入敵手——這一切明顯地表明災禍是出於耶和華，因為他們得罪了祂。
三、為免他們不輕易或不正確地明白這護理之工的含意，神藉著祂的話解釋了這杖（代下十二5）。當猶大諸首領都聚集在耶路撒冷——大概是在一個緊要關頭的軍事會議上商議自保之策——神差遣一位先知到他們那裡，就是先前曾奉神命禁止他們與十支派爭戰的那位（代下十一2），名叫示瑪雅；他坦白告訴他們：示撒所以能勝過他們，並非因為他們處事失策（這也許正是首領們此刻會議中所在追究的），而是因為他們離棄了神。神總不離棄任何人，直到人先離棄祂。
四、話語和杖兩樣責備既合在一起，王和首領們就為自己的罪孽在神面前自卑，悔改地承認罪，並忍耐地接受刑罰，說：「耶和華是公義的」（代下十二6）。「我們只能怪自己；願神施行審判時顯為清正。」當我們在神的護理責備之下時，理當如此：稱神為義，審判自己。連君王和首領也當在神面前屈膝——不然便折斷；若不自卑，便要滅亡。
五、他們既然表示悔改，神就向他們顯出幾分恩待，拯救他們免於毀滅，卻仍讓他們存留幾分對審判的恐懼，以防止他們再度背道。
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神在憐憫中攔阻了他們此刻瀕臨的毀滅。像示撒所率領這樣龐大、如今又連戰連勝的軍隊，既已攻取了一切堅固城，除了全國、甚至耶路撒冷本身不久也歸他們所有，還能期待甚麼呢？但當神說：「狂傲的波浪要在這裡止住」，那最可怕的勢力就奇異地消退、成為無能。在此，那滅命的天使來到耶路撒冷時，又被禁止毀滅它：「我的烈怒必不倒在耶路撒冷——不是此時，不是藉這手，不是徹底毀滅它」（代下十二7、12）。請注意：凡在受苦時承認神為公義的，必發現祂滿有恩典。凡在祂面前自卑的，必蒙恩惠。施憐憫的神何等樂於抓住頭一個機會施憐憫。我們若在使人謙卑的護理之下存謙卑的心，這苦難就已達到它的目的；它必被挪去，或其性質被改變。
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祂賜給他們幾分拯救——不是完全的，而是局部的；祂賜他們對敵的幾分優勢，使他們稍得喘息；祂「給他們略得拯救」。他們只是局部改革，也只是暫時的，不久又再退後；他們的拯救與他們的改革一樣。然而經上說（代下十二12），「在猶大有善行」，局面開始好轉。（一）在敬虔方面：「猶大也有善行」（旁註如此），就是有好的傳道人、好的百姓、好的家庭，他們因國家的苦難而變得更好。請注意：在極大敗壞和衰頹的時代，若尚有餘民在其中顯出善行，這就是安慰；這是以色列中可盼望的根據。（二）在興旺方面：當諸堅固城盡被攻取之時（代下十二4），猶大的境況是惡劣的；但當他們悔改時，他們的局勢就改變了，「情況就向好」。請注意：事情的發展雖不如我們所願，但若比我們所能預期的、比從前的、比我們所配得的更好，我們就當存感恩的心留意承認。神若只賜我們「略得拯救」，我們也當承認祂的良善。
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然而祂仍任憑他們在示撒手下大受苦楚，無論在自由上、在財富上。
（一）在自由上（代下十二8）：「他們必作他的僕人」（就是他們大多仰其鼻息、向其進貢，其中也許有些人被擄去、囚在他那裡），「使他們知道服事我與服事地上列國有何分別」。他們也許抱怨宗教太嚴，「離棄了耶和華的律法」（代下十二1），因為他們以為那軛太重、難以擔當。神說：「好，讓他們若能改善自己的處境就去改善吧；既然他們不願我治理他們，就讓鄰國的君王暫時治理他們，讓他們嘗嘗那滋味如何。他們本可以『歡歡喜喜地事奉神』，卻不肯；那麼讓他們『在飢餓乾渴之中事奉仇敵』吧（申二十八47、48），直到他們想到要『歸向他們的主人，因為那時光景比現在更好』」（何二7）。有人以為這就是結二十24、25的意思：「因為他們厭棄我的律例，我就任憑他們遵守不良的律例。」請注意：[一.] 神的事奉與別的事奉越是比較，就越顯得合理、輕省。[二.] 無論我們想像順服的路上有何等艱難困苦，比起悖逆所要受的刑罰，總是好上千倍。人以為節制的律法太嚴苛嗎？不節制的後果要嚴苛得多。道德之軛乃是完全的自由；情慾之軛乃是完全的奴役。
（二）在財富上。埃及王劫掠了聖殿和王庫——所羅門留下極其充盈的府庫——他卻「拿去」了；是的，他「盡都拿去」，凡他到手的都拿走了（代下十二9）。這正是他來的目的。行在神道上的大衛和所羅門，一個藉爭戰、一個藉貿易，充滿了府庫；而離棄神律法的羅波安卻倒空了它們。奪去金盾牌、以銅盾牌代替之事（代下十二9～11），我們先前已讀過其記載（王上十四25～28）。
英文原文
Abijah's Reign over Judah (970 BC)
¹ And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
² And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD,
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 Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
⁴ And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.
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 therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.
⁶ Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous.
⁷ And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
⁸ Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.
⁹ So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
¹⁰ Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the entrance of the king's house.
¹¹ And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.
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.
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, 2Ch 12:1. He had his happy triennium, when he walked in the way of David and Solomon (2Ch 11:17), but it expired, and he grew remiss in the worship of God; in what instances we are not told, but he fell off, and Judah with him, here called Israel, because they walked in the evil ways into which Jeroboam had drawn the kingdom of Israel. Thus he did when he had established the kingdom and strengthened himself. As long as he thought his throne tottered he kept to his duty, that he might make God his friend; but, when he found it stood pretty firmly, he thought he had no more occasion for religion; he was safe enough without it. Thus the prosperity of fools destroys them. Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. When men prosper, and are in no apprehension of troubles, they are ready to say to God, Depart from us.
II. God quickly brought troubles upon them, to awaken them, and recover them to repentance, before their hearts were hardened. It was but in the fourth year of Rehoboam that they began to corrupt themselves, and in the fifth year the king of Egypt came up against them with a vast army, took the fenced cities of Judah, and came against Jerusalem, 2Ch 12:2,3,4. This great calamity coming upon them so soon after they began to desert the worship of God, by a hand they had little reason to suspect (having had a great deal of friendly correspondence with Egypt in the last reign), and coming with so much violence that all the fenced cities of Judah, which Rehoboam had lately fortified and garrisoned and on which he relied much for the safety of his kingdom, fell immediately into the hands of the enemy, without making any resistance, plainly showed that it was from the Lord, because they had transgressed against him.
III. Lest they should not readily or not rightly understand the meaning of this providence, God by the word explains the rod, 2Ch 12:5. When the princes of Judah had all met at Jerusalem, probably in a great council of war, to concert measures for their own safety in this critical juncture, he sent a prophet to them, the same that had brought them an injunction from God not to fight against the ten tribes (2Ch 11:2), Shemaiah by name; he told them plainly that the reason why Shishak prevailed against them was not because they had been impolitic in the management of their affairs (which perhaps the princes in this congress were at this time scrutinizing), but because they had forsaken God. God never leaves any till they first leave him.
IV. The rebukes both of the word and of the rod being thus joined, the king and princes humbled themselves before God for their iniquity, penitently acknowledged the sin, and patiently accepted the punishment of it, saying, The Lord is righteous, 2Ch 12:6. "We have none to blame but ourselves; let God be clear when he judgeth." Thus it becomes us, when we are under the rebukes of Providence, to justify God and judge ourselves. Even kings and princes must either bend or break before God, either be humbled or be ruined.
V. Upon the profession they made of repentance God showed them some favour, saved them from ruin, and yet left them under some remaining fears of the judgment, to prevent their revolt again.
1. God, in mercy, prevented the destruction they were now upon the brink of. Such a vast and now victorious army as Shishak had, having made themselves masters of all the fenced cities, what could be expected but that the whole country, and even Jerusalem itself, would in a little time be theirs? But when God saith, Here shall the proud waves be stayed, the most threatening force strangely dwindles and becomes impotent. Here again the destroying angel, when he comes to Jerusalem, is forbidden to destroy it: "My wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem; not at this time, not by this hand, not utterly to destroy it," 2Ch 12:7,12. Note, Those that acknowledge God righteous in afflicting them shall find him gracious. Those that humble themselves before him shall find favour with him. So ready is the God of mercy to take the first occasion to show mercy. If we have humbled hearts under humbling providences, the affliction has done its work, and it shall either be removed or the property of it altered.
2. He granted them some deliverance, not complete, but in part; he gave them some advantages against the enemy, so that they recruited a little; he gave them deliverance for a little while, so some. They reformed but partially, and for a little while, soon relapsing again; and, as their reformation was, so was their deliverance. Yet it is said (2Ch 12:12), in Judah things went well, and began to look with a better face. (1.) In respect of piety. There were good things in Judah (so it is in the margin), good ministers, good people, good families, who were made better by the calamities of their country. Note, In times of great corruption and degeneracy it is some comfort if there be a remnant among whom good things are found; this is a ground of hope in Israel. (2.) In respect of prosperity. In Judah things went ill when all the fenced cities were taken (2Ch 12:4), but when they repented the posture of their affairs altered, and things went well. Note, If things do not go so well as we could wish, yet we have reason to take notice of it with thankfulness if they go better than was to have been expected, better than formerly, and better than we deserved. We should own God's goodness if he do but grant us some deliverance.
3. Yet he left them to smart sorely by the hand of Shishak, both in their liberty and in their wealth.
(1.) In their liberty (2Ch 12:8): They shall be his servants (that is, they shall lie much at his mercy and be put under contribution by him, and some of them perhaps be taken prisoners and held in captivity by him), that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. They complained, it may be, of the strictness of their religion, and forsook the law of the Lord (2Ch 12:1) because they thought it a yoke to hard, too heavy, upon them. "Well," saith God, "let them better themselves if they can; let the neighbouring princes rule them awhile, since they are not willing that I should rule them, and let them try how they like that. They might have served God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, and would not; let them serve their enemies then in hunger and thirst (De 28:47,48), till they think of returning to their first Master, for then it was better with them," Ho 2:7. This, some think, is the meaning of Eze 20:24,25. Because they despised my statutes, I gave them statutes that were not good. Note, [1.] The more God's service is compared with other services the more reasonable and easy it will appear. [2.] Whatever difficulties or hardships we may imagine there are in the way of obedience, it is better a thousand times to go through them than to expose ourselves to the punishment of disobedience. Are the laws of temperance thought hard? The effects of intemperance will be much harder. The service of virtue is perfect liberty; the service of lust is perfect slavery.
(2.) In their wealth. The king of Egypt plundered both the temple and the exchequer, the treasuries of both which Solomon left very full; but he took them away; yea, he took all, all he could lay his hands on, 2Ch 12:9. This was what he came for. David and Solomon, who walked in the way of God, filled the treasuries, one by war and the other by merchandise; but Rehoboam, who forsook the law of God, emptied them. The taking away of the golden shields, and the substituting of brazen ones in their place (2Ch 12:9-11), we had an account of before, 1Ki 14:25-28.
13-16
Jeroboam Defeated by Abijah (965 BC)
繁體中文
羅波安生平結語（主前 965 年）
¹³ 羅波安王自強，在耶路撒冷作王。羅波安登基的時候年四十一歲，在耶路撒冷——就是耶和華從以色列眾支派中所揀選、要立他名的那城——作王十七年。他母親名叫拿瑪，是亞捫人。 ¹⁴ 羅波安行惡，因他不立定心意尋求耶和華。 ¹⁵ 羅波安所行的事，自始至終，豈不都寫在先知示瑪雅和先見易多的譜記上麼？羅波安與耶羅波安時常爭戰。 ¹⁶ 羅波安與他列祖同睡，葬在大衛城裡；他兒子亞比雅接續他作王。
羅波安治期的史事在此告終，與其他諸王治期的結尾大致相同。此處特別值得注意的有兩件事：1. 他終於在自己的國中相當穩固（代下 12:13）。他在猶大所建的堅固城未能滿足他的期望，所以他如今「在耶路撒冷自強」，以修築這城為業，在那裡作王十七年——就是在「耶和華所揀選立他名的那城」。這暗示了他的尊榮與特權，因為他的王座設在聖城；然而這不過是加重了他的不敬虔——離聖殿近，卻離 神遠。他的臣民與耶羅波安的臣民之間不斷有衝突，可謂「時常爭戰」（代下 12:15）；但他守住自己的地位，繼續作王，而且看來他並沒有像他在第四年時那樣嚴重地「離棄耶和華的律法」（代下 12:1）。2. 他在宗教上始終沒有正確地立定（代下 12:14）。他從未完全棄絕 神；然而他在此行了惡，因為他「沒有立定心意尋求耶和華」。請看他的過失被歸咎於何處。（1）他沒有尋求耶和華，所以沒有事奉耶和華。他不像所羅門那樣為智慧和恩典祈求。我們若更好地禱告，就必在各樣事上都更好。又或者他沒有查考 神的話，沒有把它當作他的神諭去尋求，也沒有從它領受指示。（2）他沒有把心放在其中，所以他的宗教算不得甚麼——他從未以緊密的用功去留意它，從未對它有任何衷心的傾向，也從未達到其中的堅定決心。他所有的少許良善都是短暫的，如清晨的雲霧逝去。他行惡，是因為他從未決心行善。凡在善事上搖擺不定、從未立志以宗教為業的人，容易被撒但引誘去犯任何罪惡。
英文原文
Jeroboam Defeated by Abijah (965 BC)
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, 2Ch 12:13. 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, (2Ch 12:15), 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 (2Ch 12:1) in his fourth year. 2. That he was never rightly fixed in his religion, 2Ch 12:14. 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.
本章對羅波安作王的記述，比先前在列王紀中所讀到的更為詳盡，而這是一段十分沉痛的記載。我覺得我們彷彿又回到士師記之中了；因為：一、羅波安和他的百姓行耶和華眼中看為惡的事（代下 12:1）。二、神便把他們交在埃及王示撒手裏，示撒大大欺壓他們（代下 12:2-4）。三、神差遣一位先知到他們那裏，向他們講解這審判，並呼召他們悔改（代下 12:5）。四、他們便自卑（代下 12:6）。五、神見他們悔改，就轉消了祂的怒氣（代下 12:7,12），卻仍使他們留在祂不悅的記號之下（代下 12:8-11）。最後，這裏記述了對羅波安及其王朝的總評，並其結束（代下 12:13-16）。