Synopsis of the Chapter
Rehoboam and the Jews, after three years, fall away from God to idols. Therefore they are plundered and subjugated by Shishak king of Egypt. Abijah succeeds the dying Rehoboam.
Verse 2: Shishak King of Egypt ¶
2. SHISHAK KING OF EGYPT — who is called Sesostris by Herodotus in book II, and Diodorus in book II (whom Josephus cites in book VIII, chapter IV), and who, as they report, whenever he had conquered unwarlike peoples, erected a trophy, and was accustomed to yoke the kings he had conquered to his triumphal chariot, to show that he was above kings, indeed above all men. A more certain cause of the war is given by Scripture, namely the apostasy and idolatry of Rehoboam and the Jews; for God intended to punish this through Shishak.
Verse 3: Troglodytes ¶
3. TROGLODYTES — are peoples of Ethiopia, which borders on Egypt, whose king was Shishak. In Hebrew they are called suckiim, that is, inhabitants of hiding places and caverns; in Greek Troglodytes, that is, those who enter and inhabit caves, for trogle means a hole, a nest, a cave.
Verse 7: My Fury Shall Not Be Poured Out ¶
7. MY FURY SHALL NOT BE POURED OUT UPON JERUSALEM — that is, further through the continuous slaughter, plundering, and destruction which Shishak is preparing. See here how quickly God is appeased by the repentance, such as it is, of Rehoboam and the Jews.