The Skeptics Annotated Bible (381 page)

(11.21b)
“Rehoboam … took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines.”
16 Is polygamy OK?

(11.21c)
“And begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.”
Rehoboam had 88 children (28 sons and 60 daughters) and wins the Bible’s Quiverfull prize.

22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him king.

23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

12
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.

(12.2-12) God sent Shishak, the king of Egypt, to attack Jerusalem because Rehoboam “and all Israel transgressed against the Lord.” Shishak had 1200 chariots, 60,000 horsemen and “people without number” and he attacked Judah and “took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah.” When Shishak’s army came to Jerusalem, “the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves” and said, “The Lord is righteous.” So God decided not to destroy Jerusalem, but just make them Shishak’s slaves instead.

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,

(12.2)
“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.

(12.5) “Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam … and said … 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.

(12.6) “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.

(12.7)
“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.

(12.8)
“Nevertheless they shall be his servants.”

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.

(12.12) “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.”

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.

13
Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam.

(13.2) “His mother’s name also was Michaiah the daughter of Uriel.”
232 Who was Abijam’s mother?

(13.3-12) Abijah spoke to 1,200,000 soldiers at one time. (He had a really loud voice.)