2 Chronicles 12 — Shishak’s Invasion and Rehoboam’s Humbling — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 12:10, 12:11
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Chapter 12 — Shishak’s Invasion and Rehoboam’s Humbling
The invasion and the prophetic rebuke
Verse 12:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:1] When Rehoboam’s kingdom was established and he became strong, he abandoned YHWH’s instruction, and all Israel with him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:1] When Rehoboam’s kingdom was established and secured, he abandoned the Lord’s commandments, and all Israel with him.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew names YHWH’s instruction and the king’s strength; Greek names the Lord’s commandments and uses a passive securing expression.
Verse 12:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:2] In King Rehoboam’s fifth year, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had acted unfaithfully toward YHWH,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:2] In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Sousakim king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had sinned before the Lord,
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: The date and invasion agree; Hebrew emphasizes unfaithfulness, Greek sin.
Verse 12:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:3] with a thousand and two hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen. The people who came with him from Egypt were beyond numbering: Libyans, Sukkites, and Cushites.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:3] with a thousand and two hundred chariots and sixty thousand horses. The multitude that came with him from Egypt was beyond numbering: Libyans, Troglodytes, and Ethiopians.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew counts horsemen, Greek horses. Hebrew Sukkites corresponds to Greek Troglodytes, and Cushites to Ethiopians; the group names are retained without assuming a fully settled identification.
Verse 12:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:4] He captured Judah’s fortified cities and came as far as Jerusalem.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:4] They seized the fortified cities in Judah, and he came to Jerusalem.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew uses a singular subject for capturing the cities; Greek uses plural they before returning to singular he.
Verse 12:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:5] Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and Judah’s princes who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says YHWH: You abandoned Me, so I have also abandoned you into Shishak’s hand.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:5] Samaia the prophet came to Rehoboam and Judah’s rulers who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Sousakim, and said to them, “Thus said the Lord: You abandoned Me, and I will abandon you into Sousakim’s hand.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew presents God’s abandonment as accomplished; Greek gives it as future. Both explicitly connect it to the people’s prior abandonment of God.
Verse 12:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:6] Israel’s princes and the king humbled themselves and said, “YHWH is righteous.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:6] Israel’s rulers and the king felt shame and said, “The Lord is righteous.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew describes humbling themselves; Greek feeling shame. Their acknowledgment of divine righteousness agrees.
Verse 12:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:7] When YHWH saw that they humbled themselves, YHWH’s word came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them; I will grant them some escape, and My wrath will not be poured out upon Jerusalem through Shishak’s hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:7] When the Lord saw that they felt shame, the Lord’s word came to Samaia: “They have felt shame. I will not destroy them; I will give them over in a little while to salvation, and My wrath will certainly not drip upon Jerusalem,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek lacks through Shishak’s hand and uses drip rather than be poured out. Its difficult smallness expression is rendered temporally, in a little while; a limited measure of deliverance is also possible. Hebrew is rendered some escape, though its smallness expression can likewise be temporal. The degree or timing is not treated as a settled textual contradiction.
Verse 12:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:8] yet they will become his servants, so that they may know My service and the service of the kingdoms of the lands.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:8] for they will become servants, and they will know My service and the service of the kingdom of the earth.”
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew explicitly says his servants and plural kingdoms of the lands. Greek leaves the master unstated and uses singular kingdom of the earth.
The temple treasures and the bronze shields
Verse 12:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:9] Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem and took the treasures of YHWH’s house and the king’s house; he took everything. He also took the gold shields Solomon had made.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:9] Sousakim king of Egypt came up and took the treasures in the Lord’s house and the king’s house; he took everything. He also took the gold large shields Solomon had made,
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek lacks against Jerusalem here and uses its large-shield term, while Hebrew uses the smaller-shield term. Both report removal of the sacred and royal treasures.
Verse 12:10 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:10] King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and entrusted them to the commanders of the runners who guarded the entrance of the king’s house.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:10] and Rehoboam made bronze large shields in their place. Sousakim appointed over him commanders of runners who guarded the king’s gateway.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew has Rehoboam entrust replacement shields to his own guard commanders. Greek explicitly introduces Sousakim appointing commanders over him, changing the agent and the political relationship; this is not harmonized away.
Verse 12:11 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:11] Whenever the king entered YHWH’s house, the runners came and carried the shields, then returned them to the runners’ guardroom.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:11] Whenever the king entered the Lord’s house, the guards entered, and the runners, and those returning to meet the runners.
Classification & Notes
Disparate
Text: Hebrew describes carrying and returning the shields to a guardroom. Greek instead lists guards, runners, and people returning to meet runners; it contains neither the carrying of shields nor their storage. The difficult Greek sequence is retained.
Verse 12:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:12] When he humbled himself, YHWH’s anger turned away from him, so as not to destroy him completely. There were also good things in Judah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:12] When he felt shame, the Lord’s wrath turned away from him, and not toward utter destruction. For there were also good things in Judah.
Classification & Notes
Similar
Text: The humbling and shame terms differ as earlier, but both state that the response averted complete destruction and acknowledge good in Judah.
Rehoboam’s final record
Verse 12:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:13] King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city YHWH chose from all Israel’s tribes to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:13] Rehoboam became strong in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose from all the tribes of Israel’s sons to name His name there. His mother’s name was Noomma the Ammanite.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek adds sons in the tribal description and uses the naming formula; Hebrew uses putting the name. Both give an accession age of forty-one and a reign of seventeen years.
Verse 12:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:14] He did evil, because he did not set his heart to seek YHWH.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:14] He did evil, because he did not direct his heart to seek the Lord.
Classification & Notes
Same
Text: Both ground the adverse evaluation in his failure to orient his heart toward God.
Verse 12:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:15] Rehoboam’s deeds, first and last—are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and Iddo the seer, with genealogical registration? There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:15] Rehoboam’s deeds, first and last—look, are they not written in the records of Samaia the prophet and Addo the seer, and his acts? Rehoboam fought Jeroboam all the days.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Hebrew has a genealogical-registration expression where Greek has and his acts. Hebrew describes wars between the kings; Greek explicitly makes Rehoboam the subject of fighting. The named ancient records have not been independently consulted.
Verse 12:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[BHS 12:16] Rehoboam lay down with his fathers and was buried in David’s city. Abijah his son became king in his place.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[LXX 12:16] Rehoboam died and was buried with his fathers, and he was buried in David’s city. Abijah his son became king in his place.
Classification & Notes
Different
Text: Greek uses died, attaches with his fathers to burial, and repeats was buried. Hebrew uses the ancestral lying-down formula once before the burial notice.