2 Chronicles 12:13 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rehoboam continues to strengthen his kingdom in Jerusalem, where God had placed His name, throughout his forty-one-year reign.
The Context of 2 Chronicles 12:13
Rehoboam reigns in Jerusalem for seventeen years after his humbling.
What Does 2 Chronicles 12:13 Mean?
After the crisis and humbling, Rehoboam reestablished himself as king of Judah. He was not deposed or destroyed; his kingdom endured for seventeen years more in Jerusalem. The text reminds us of Jerusalem's unique status: it was the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, the place where God had chosen to put His name. This covenant center remained the seat of Rehoboam's rule, even in humiliation.
The biographical detail—his age of forty-one, the seventeen-year reign, his mother Naamah the Ammonitess—anchors the narrative in history. These concrete facts ground the story of covenant judgment and mercy in real time and real persons. Rehoboam was not a mythic figure but a human ruler who experienced both the consequences of apostasy and the mercy of repentance.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Chronicles 12:13
What does 2 Chronicles 12:13 mean?
Rehoboam continues to strengthen his kingdom in Jerusalem, where God had placed His name, throughout his forty-one-year reign.
What is the context of 2 Chronicles 12:13?
Rehoboam reigns in Jerusalem for seventeen years after his humbling.