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,
2 CHRONICLES 12:2KJVWhat does 2 Chronicles 12:2 mean?
2 Chronicles 12:2 says that in the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak, the king of Egypt, attacked Jerusalem because the people had been unfaithful to the LORD. The verse connects this foreign invasion directly to the people’s disobedience against God.
This verse is part of a historical account where the chronicler explains why trouble came upon Jerusalem. King Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, is ruling, and the people’s actions—specifically, their “transgression” against the LORD—are given as the reason for Shishak’s attack. The verse sets up the events that follow, showing a cause-and-effect relationship between the nation’s behavior and the challenges they face.
The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 12:2
- “Transgressed” (מָעַל, ma‘al) means to act unfaithfully or break trust, especially in a spiritual or covenant sense. This word emphasizes that the people’s failure was not just a mistake but a serious breach of their relationship with God.
- “LORD” (יְהוָה, YHWH) is the personal name of Israel’s God, highlighting that the offense was against their own covenant God, not just a generic deity.
Why 2 Chronicles 12:2 matters
- This verse clarifies that the invasion by Shishak was not random political trouble but was understood as a direct consequence of the people’s unfaithfulness to God.
- It highlights a theme found throughout Chronicles: the link between the people’s loyalty to God and their national security or well-being.
- The verse prepares the reader for the events that follow, helping to frame the historical narrative as more than just a record of wars and kings—it is also a spiritual commentary on cause and effect in Israel’s history.