Shemaiah was a man of God and a prophet who served during the reign of King Rehoboam in Judah. He is best known for preventing a civil war between the northern and southern tribes by delivering God's word that the division of the kingdom was according to God's will. He also delivered God's message when Pharaoh Shishak threatened Jerusalem.
Key events
Warned Against Civil War
Shemaiah received a word from God and warned King Rehoboam and all Judah and Benjamin not to go to war against Israel. The people obeyed the Lord's word and returned home.
24This is what the LORD says: Do not march up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Every one of you go home, for this thing is from me." So they obeyed the word of the LORD and turned back, as the LORD had commanded.
1When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he mustered the house of Judah and Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand picked troops—to fight against Israel and win the kingdom back for himself.
4Thus says the LORD: You shall not march out and fight against your brothers. Every one of you, go home, for this thing is from me." So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from marching against Jeroboam.
When Pharaoh Shishak of Egypt attacked Judah, Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and the leaders with a message that the Lord had abandoned them because they had abandoned Him.
5Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the officials of Judah who had gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the LORD says: You have abandoned me, so I in turn have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak."
7When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them. I will grant them a measure of deliverance, and my wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.
When Rehoboam and the leaders humbled themselves after Shemaiah's prophetic words, the Lord said he would not destroy them completely but grant them some deliverance.
7When the LORD saw that they had humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them. I will grant them a measure of deliverance, and my wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak.
15The events of Rehoboam's reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, along with the genealogies? There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.