21 And Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was king in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he was king for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the town which the Lord had made his out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there; his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. 22 And Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and made him more angry than their fathers had done by their sins. 23 For they made high places and upright stones and wood pillars on every high hill and under every green tree; 24 And more than this, there were those in the land who were used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods, doing the same disgusting crimes as the nations which the Lord had sent out before the children of Israel. 25 Now in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem; 26 And took away all the stored wealth from the house of the Lord, and from the king's house, and all the gold body-covers which Solomon had made. 27 So in their place King Rehoboam had other body-covers made of brass, and gave them into the care of the captains of the armed men who were stationed at the door of the king's house. 28 And whenever the king went into the house of the Lord, the armed men went with him taking the body-covers, and then took them back to their room. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all he did, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days. 31 And Rehoboam went to rest with his fathers, and was put into the earth with his fathers in the town of David; his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. And Abijam his son became king in his place.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 14:21-31
Commentary on 1 Kings 14:21-31
(Read 1 Kings 14:21-31)
Here is no good said of Rehoboam, and much said to the disadvantage of his subjects. The abounding of the worst crimes, of the worst of the heathen, in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen for his temple and his worship, shows that nothing can mend the hearts of fallen men but the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit. On this alone may we depend; for this let us daily pray, in behalf of ourselves and all around us. The splendour of their temple, the pomp of their priesthood, and all the advantages with which their religion was attended, could not prevail to keep them close to it; nothing less than the pouring out the Spirit will keep God's Israel in their allegiance to him. Sin exposes, makes poor, and weakens any people. Shishak, king of Egypt, came and took away the treasures. Sin makes the gold become dim, changes the most fine gold, and turns it into brass.