2 Chronicles 12 Bible study: They have humbled themselves

The chapter before ends well: "So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong for three years, for they walked three years in the way of David and Solomon" (11:17). Then this chapter opens, "When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the LORD’s law, and all Israel with him" (12:1) (tap established and strong). The chapter gives no reason for the turn; it names the moment, a kingdom established and a king strong. The next verse gives the reason Shishak came: "In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had trespassed against the LORD" (12:2) (tap trespassed). 2 Chronicles says it again of a later king, Uzziah: "But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly and he trespassed against the LORD his God" (26:16). In Hebrew, when he was strong in 26:16 is the same word as he was strong in 12:1, and trespassed is the same verb in 12:2 and 26:16.

2 Chronicles 12:6→leads toLuke 23:41-43

Through Shemaiah the LORD said, "You have forsaken me, therefore I have also left you in the hand of Shishak" (12:5), and "the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves" (12:6) and said, "The LORD is righteous" (12:6). The LORD answered, "They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance" (12:7). On the cross, one of the criminals hanged with Jesus rebuked the other and said, "we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:41), and "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom" (Luke 23:42). Jesus answered, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Jesus doesn't cite 2 Chronicles 12, and no link between the Hebrew and Greek words is claimed, so setting the two side by side is a reading, resting on a shared subject: owning that the judgment is deserved, and mercy answering it. Some hear in Jesus' answer the same mercy the LORD showed when Judah humbled itself. Others read Luke 23:39-43 in its own setting, the criminal's words about Jesus, "this man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:41), and 2 Chronicles 12 as the LORD's dealing with Judah under Shishak, where the mercy was "some deliverance" (12:7) and they were still to be "his servants" (12:8), and don't look from one to the other.

כָּנַעkana'say ka-NA

Brown-Driver-Briggs: "be humble", and in the form here, "humble oneself". Strong's: "properly, to bend the knee; hence, to humiliate". The chapter uses it four times: "the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves" (12:6); "When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves" and "They have humbled themselves" (12:7); and "When he humbled himself, the LORD’s wrath turned from him" (12:12). Before 12:6, 2 Chronicles had used it only once, in the LORD's answer to Solomon: "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves" (7:14). 1 Kings has the LORD speak of Ahab with it: "See how Ahab humbles himself before me?" (1 Kings 21:29).