1 A nd 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.

When King Rehoboam’s nation had been made strong, he and all Israel turned away from the Law of the Lord.

2 A nd 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,

After Rehoboam had been king for five years, King Shishak of Egypt came to fight against Jerusalem. This happened because they had not been faithful to the Lord.

3 W ith 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.

Shishak came with 1, 200 war-wagons and 60, 000 horsemen. And the people who came with him from Egypt were too many to number. There were Libyans, Sukkites, and Ethiopians.

4 A nd he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.

He took the strong cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

5 T hen 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.

Then Shemaiah the man of God came to Rehoboam and the princes of Judah who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak. He said to them, “The Lord says, ‘You have left Me. So I have left you to Shishak.’”

6 W hereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.

So the princes of Israel and the king put away their pride and said, “The Lord is right and good.”

7 A nd 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.

The Lord saw that they had put away their pride. And the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, “They have put away their pride. I will not destroy them. But I will give them some help. My anger will not be poured out on Jerusalem by the power of Shishak.

8 N evertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

But they will be made to work for him. In this way they may learn the difference between My work and the work of the kings of the countries.”

9 S o 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.

So King Shishak of Egypt came and fought against Jerusalem. He took the riches of the Lord’s house and the riches of the king’s house. He took everything. He even took the battle-coverings of gold which Solomon had made.

10 I nstead 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.

King Rehoboam made battle-coverings of brass in their place. And he put them in the care of the captains of the soldiers who watched the door of the king’s house.

11 A nd when the king entered into the house of the Lord, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.

Every time the king went into the house of the Lord, the soldiers came and carried the coverings. Then they returned them to the soldiers’ room.

12 A nd 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.

When Rehoboam put away his pride, the Lord’s anger turned away from him. He was not destroyed. And things were good in Judah. The End of Rehoboam’s Rule

13 S o 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 became strong in Jerusalem and ruled. He was forty-one years old when he began to rule. And he ruled in Jerusalem for seventeen years. This was the city the Lord had chosen from all the families of Israel to put His name there. The name of Rehoboam’s mother was Naamah the Ammonitess.

14 A nd he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord.

And he did what was sinful, because he did not follow the Lord with all his heart.

15 N ow 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.

The acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are written in the writings of Shemaiah the man of God and of Iddo the man who told what would happen in the future. Wars were always being fought between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

16 A nd Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

Rehoboam died and was buried in the city of David. His son Abijah became king in his place.