Shemaiah was a man of God and a prophet who served in the kingdom of Judah during King Rehoboam's reign. He is best known for warning Rehoboam against going to war with the northern tribes after the division of the kingdom, and for delivering God's judgment when the Egyptian king Shishak attacked Jerusalem. He served as an important prophetic voice during a critical transitional period in Israel's history.
Nyckelhändelser
Warning Against Civil War
After the ten northern tribes broke away under Jeroboam, Rehoboam intended to gather an army of 180,000 men to reconquer them. Shemaiah received a word from God to warn Rehoboam and all Judah not to go to war against their brothers, for what had happened was from the Lord.
21When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered the whole house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin—a hundred and eighty thousand able young warriors—to fight against the house of Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.
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.
The same event where Shemaiah prevented civil war between Judah and Israel is recorded in 2 Chronicles, emphasizing the prophet's role as God's spokesperson.
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 the Egyptian king Shishak attacked Jerusalem, Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah with a message that the Lord had abandoned them because they had forsaken Him. This led Rehoboam and the leaders to humble themselves.
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 prophecy, the word of the Lord came again to Shemaiah with the message that God would not destroy them completely, but that they would nevertheless become servants of Shishak to learn the difference between serving the Lord and serving foreign kings.
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.
9So Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem and carried off the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.
Shemaiah was not only a prophet but also a chronicler. His writings, together with those of the seer Iddo, were used as a source for the history of Rehoboam, demonstrating his significance as a historical witness in the kingdom of Judah.
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.
When Shemaiah delivered God's word not to go to war, Rehoboam and all the people obeyed the prophet's message and returned home. This is an important example of a king in Judah listening to and obeying a prophetic word.
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.
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.