II Chronicles 12:13 · Bible study
2 Chronicles 12:13 Commentary: Age, Mother, and the Chosen City
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why is Rehoboam called ‘young’ at 41? And why mention his Ammonite mother next to Jerusalem’s chosenness? This verse links two surprising details.
Research Summary
- Meaning: This summary verse closes Rehoboam’s reign report, noting his recovery after Shishak, his age at accession, the divine election of Jerusalem, and his mother’s foreign identity, all framing the mixed legacy of a king who failed to seek God.
- Key words: “Strengthened himself” (Hithpael of chazaq, H2388), a reflexive verb implying recovery of political control; “chosen” (bachar, H0977), the Deuteronomistic term for divine election of place and people; “Ammonitess” (Ammonit, H5984), a term from Ammon (H5984), carrying negative legal connotations per Deuteronomy 23:3.
- Main debate: Whether Rehoboam’s age (41) is historical or a textual error, given the description “young and tender hearted” in 2 Chronicles 13:7. Some see a variant reading (16 years) in certain LXX manuscripts, while others argue “young” refers to inexperience.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereign choice of Jerusalem and the Davidic line persists despite human failure, creating a tension that underscores grace and judgment.
- Best use: A cautionary example of how a king with every spiritual advantage (temple, chosen city, Davidic lineage) can still fail when he does not set his heart to seek the Lord. Ideal for lessons on leadership, repentance, and the nature of covenant faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Thus King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.
WEB World English Bible 2000
So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And king Rehoboam strengtheneth himself in Jerusalem, and reigneth; for a son of forty and two years is Rehoboam in his reigning, and seventeen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah hath chosen to put His name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and the name of his mother is Naamah the Ammonitess,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned; for Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
King Roboam therefore was strengthened in Jerusalem, and reigned: he was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to establish his name there: and the name of his mother was Naama an Ammonitess.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Fortificado pues Roboam, reinó en Jerusalem: y era Roboam de cuarenta y un años cuando comenzó á reinar, y diecisiete años reinó en Jerusalem, ciudad que escogió Jehová de todas las tribus de Israel, para poner en ella su nombre. Y el nombre de su madre fué Naama Ammonita.
Fortificou-se, pois Roboão, e reinou em Jerusalém: e era Roboão de quarenta e um anos quando começou a reinar, e dezessete anos reinou em Jerusalém, cidade que escolheu o SENHOR de todas as tribos de Israel, para pôr nela seu nome. E o nome de sua mãe foi Naamá, amonita.
Le roi Roboam s’ affermit dans Jérusalem et régna. Il avait quarante et un ans lorsqu’ il devint roi, et il régna dix-sept ans à Jérusalem, la ville que l’ Éternel avait choisie sur toutes les tribus d’ Israël pour y mettre son nom. Sa mère s’ appelait Naama, l’ Ammonite.
Also ward Rehabeam, der König, bekräftigt in Jerusalem und regierte. Einundvierzig Jahre alt war Rehabeam da er König ward, und regierte siebzehn Jahre zu Jerusalem in der Stadt, die der HERR erwählt hatte aus allen Stämmen Israels, daß er seinen Namen dahin stellte. Seine Mutter hieß Naema, eine Ammonitin.
Zo versterkte zich de koning Rehabeam in Jeruzalem, en regeerde; want Rehabeam was een en veertig jaren oud, als hij koning werd, en hij regeerde zeventien jaren in Jeruzalem, de stad, die de HEERE uit alle stammen van Israel verkoren had, om Zijn Naam daar te zetten; en de naam zijner moeder was Naama, een Ammonietische.
Il re Roboamo dunque si rese forte in Gerusalemme, e continuò a regnare. Avea quarantun anni quando cominciò a regnare, e regnò diciassette anni a Gerusalemme, la città che l’Eterno s’era scelta fra tutte le tribù d’Israele, per stabilirvi il suo nome. Sua madre si chiamava Naama, l’Ammonita.
Zmocnił się tedy król Roboam w Jeruzalemie i królował. A było czterdzieści lat i jeden rok Roboamowi, gdy królować począł, a siedmnaście lat królował w Jeruzalemie, w mieście, które obrał Pan ze wszystkich pokoleń Izraelskich, aby tam przebywało imię jego. A imię matki jego było Naama Ammonitka.
И утвердился царь Ровоам в Иерусалиме и царствовал. Сорок один год было Ровоаму, когда он воцарился, и семнадцать лет царствовал в Иерусалиме, в городе, который из всех колен Израилевых избрал Господь, чтобы там пребывало имя Его. Имя матери его Наама, Аммонитянка.
羅波安 王 自強，在耶路撒冷 作王。 他登基 的時候年 四十 一 歲，在耶路撒冷，就是 耶和華 從以色列 眾 支派 中所選擇 立 他名的 城，作王 十 七 年。羅波安的母親 名 叫拿瑪，是亞捫人。
So King Rehoboam made himself strong in Jerusalem and was ruling there. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he was ruling 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; and his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Chronicles 12:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse concludes Rehoboam’s reign summary by stating three facts: he regained strength after Shishak’s invasion and ruled seventeen more years from Jerusalem, the city Yahweh chose; he was forty-one at accession; and his mother was Naamah the Ammonitess. The age figure raises a puzzle. Adam Clarke notes that Houbigant argued the number must be a mistake, pointing to 2 Chronicles 13:7 where Rehoboam is described as “young and tender hearted” at the time of the northern revolt, hardly the language for a man over forty. The Cambridge Bible records that the Hebrew and Septuagint read forty-one here and in 1 Kings 14:21, but a later Greek manuscript (codex B after 1 Kings 12:14) gives “sixteen years old,” though that addition is considered midrashic and unreliable. Most interpreters accept the forty-one as historical, explaining “young” as a description of inexperience rather than literal age. The mention of Naamah the Ammonitess is noted by Jamieson-Fausset-Brown as a clue to Rehoboam’s spiritual failure: through an idolatrous foreign mother, he received a bias against exclusive worship of Yahweh. The reference to Jerusalem as the city Yahweh chose ties Rehoboam’s story to Deuteronomy’s theology of a central sanctuary (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11) and to God’s faithfulness despite human failure.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal age with non-literal 'young': The 41 is historically accurate; 'young' in 2 Chronicles 13:7 means inexperienced, not chronological youth.
- Textual corruption theory: Hobbigant (cited by Clarke) and the LXX variant support an original reading of 16, harmonizing with the description 'young and tender hearted.'
What is clear: Rehoboam reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, which Yahweh chose, and his mother was an Ammonite woman.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Rehoboam's age | All agree the Hebrew text says 41. The reign lasted 17 years. The Chronicler's chronology places him as Solomon's son. | Some (Houbigant, via Clarke) argue the number is textually corrupt, noting that 2 Chronicles 13:7 calls him 'young and tender hearted.' Others (Cambridge Bible) read 'young' as inexperience; they retain the 41 as historical. |
| The significance of Naamah the Ammonitess | All agree she was Solomon's wife and Rehoboam's mother, and that her foreign identity is deliberately noted by the Chronicler. | Jamieson-Fausset-Brown sees her as the cause of Rehoboam's idolatrous bent. Others see her mention as underscoring the mixed marriages of Solomon that led to national compromise, but do not blame her directly for Rehoboam's choices. |
| Jerusalem as the chosen city | All affirm the Chronicler's theological point: Jerusalem is uniquely chosen by Yahweh to bear his name (Deuteronomy 12:5, 11). This is the only place for the temple and proper worship. | Some traditions (Reformed) emphasize this as a sign of covenant election. Others (Catholic) read it as connecting to the later understanding of Jerusalem as a type of the Church. No substantive disagreement is present in the supplied sources. |
| The nature of Rehoboam's 'strengthening' | All agree it refers to a recovery after Shishak's invasion. The verb conveys fortified security. | Keil & Delitzsch limit it to political/military recovery. Matthew Henry includes a spiritual dimension (return to religious duties). The text itself does not specify the scope. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Rehoboam came to power after the death of his father Solomon, inheriting a kingdom already strained by forced labor and heavy taxation. The ten northern tribes rebelled when he rejected the elders’ counsel and threatened harsher treatment (2 Chronicles 10). Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal. In the fifth year of his reign, Shishak king of Egypt invaded, plundering the temple and palace treasures and carrying off the gold shields Solomon had made (2 Chronicles 12:9). Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields, a symbol of diminished glory (v.10). After this humiliation, the Chronicler says Rehoboam “humbled himself” (v.12), and God turned away wrath. The verse at hand, v.13, picks up after that humbling: “So King Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned.” The Hebrew verb yit chazzeq (Hithpael of chazaq) means “he strengthened himself”, it is the same verb used of Solomon at the start of his reign when he overcame rivals (2 Chronicles 1:1). Here it implies rebuilding political and military stability after the Egyptian raid.
The age given, forty-one at accession, raises the question debated since the early church. If Rehoboam was born near the end of David’s reign or the start of Solomon’s, he would have been a grown man, not a youth. Yet Abijah’s speech to Jeroboam calls Rehoboam “young and tender hearted” (2 Chronicles 13:7). Some scholars propose that “young” refers not to chronological age but to inexperience in leadership, a king who relied on foolish counsel. The textual variant in some Septuagint manuscripts (reducing the age to sixteen) suggests ancient scribes felt the tension and attempted to resolve it.
The mention of the mother’s name is more than biographical filler. Naamah is called ha’Ammonit, “the Ammonite woman.” Deuteronomy 23:3 bars Ammonites from the assembly of the Lord “even to the tenth generation.” Solomon married many foreign women, including Ammonites (1 Kings 11:1), and this marriage to Naamah is likely one of those. The Chronicler, writing after the exile when mixed marriages were a burning issue, underscores that the king of Judah was half-foreign, from a nation hostile to Israel. This explains the editorial comment in v.14: “He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.” The combined emphasis, a failing king ruling from the city God chose, sets up a tension that runs through the rest of Chronicles: God’s election of Jerusalem and David’s line remains secure even when the occupant of the throne is compromised.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note a textual variant regarding Rehoboam’s age. The Masoretic Text and the standard Septuagint agree on 41 years (both here and in 1 Kings 14:21). However, Cambridge Bible mentions an additional passage in some LXX manuscripts (Codex B after 1 Kings 12:24) that reads “16 years old” and a reign of 12 years. That reading is dismissed by Cambridge as “plainly Midrashic in character” and of no critical weight. No other significant variants are recorded in the consulted materials.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been read as a paradigm of God’s faithfulness mingled with human failure. Matthew Henry (1710) used it to warn that proximity to the temple does not guarantee a heart for God. The age puzzle engaged early commentators, Jerome and later reformers wrestled with the tension between 41 and “young and tender hearted” in 2 Chronicles 13:7. Some, like the 18th-century scholar Houbigant, proposed emendation; others, like Calvin’s successors, argued that “young” described character rather than years.
The mention of Naamah the Ammonitess drew reflection on Solomon’s disobedience in taking foreign wives (1 Kings 11:1). Early church writers saw in her a type of the dangers of mixed marriage, while more recent interpreters note the Chronicler’s subtle critique of the monarchy’s drift from purity. The refrain that Yahweh chose Jerusalem to put his name there has been taken up in liturgical traditions as a reminder that God’s actions, not human rulers, establish the places of blessing. The verse appears in many lectionary readings as a closing summary for the story of Rehoboam, emphasizing both judgment and the enduring election of David’s city.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Strength after failure. Rehoboam strengthened himself only after being humbled. His fortifications did not save him from Shishak (see v.4), but humbling himself did. Real strength begins with acknowledging weakness before God.
- A chosen city with a failing king. Jerusalem is the place where Yahweh put his name, yet Rehoboam did evil. God’s choice does not depend on human worthiness. This is both warning and comfort: the city stands because of God’s faithfulness, not the king’s.
- The shadow of a foreign mother. Naamah the Ammonitess is named here, likely as a subtle critique. Her influence helps explain Rehoboam’s drift from exclusive worship. Our deepest loyalties are shaped by those closest to us, for good or ill.
Five-point outline
- Context: a kingdom divided, a temple plundered. Rehoboam’s reign began with foolish pride and ended with lost treasure. The bronze shields tell the story (vv.9-11).
- The verb “strengthened himself.” Not military force, but a recovery of political footing after humiliation. God gives space for repentance.
- The age puzzle. 41 or 16? Whichever it was, Rehoboam acted like an inexperienced youth. Age is no guarantee of wisdom; a “tender heart” can belong to any age.
- Jerusalem: the city God chose. This refrain (see also 1 Kings 14:21, 2 Chronicles 6:6) ties Rehoboam’s reign to the larger story of salvation, a city set apart despite the sins of its kings.
- Naamah the Ammonitess. The naming of the queen mother is a quiet indictment of Solomon’s failure to keep the law. It also shows grace: God works through broken family lines.
Illustration hooks
- Fortifying after a loss. A person who has gone through bankruptcy, divorce, or addiction often locks down emotionally, building walls. That can be healthy for a time, but without humbling the heart, it becomes pride.
- A child’s loyalty to a parent. A teenager who defends a parent’s wrong choices because “she’s my mom.” Rehoboam’s mother’s religion may have shaped his tolerance for idolatry. Family influence runs deep.
- The legacy of a mixed foundation. Like a house built on a cracked slab, Rehoboam’s reign shows cracks from the start. Yet the building, God’s plan, does not collapse.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “How can I be strong again after a big failure?” Rehoboam models a pattern: humbling, then strengthening. Grace doesn’t mean ignoring consequences; it means building again on God’s terms.
- “Does God still choose people who make bad choices?” Jerusalem was chosen despite Rehoboam. God’s election is not a reward for good behavior; it is a commitment to his own purposes.
- “Why does the Bible include these messy details about family background?” Because grace is not a fairy tale. God works through real people with complicated histories, including foreign-born mothers and divided loyalties.
Leading a Discussion
This small group guide invites your group to sit with the tension in 2 Chronicles 12:13: a king who is both “strengthened” and “evil,” ruling from the city God chose but failing to seek God. Let the questions move from what the text says to what it means for your lives.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Read the verse aloud. What three facts does the Chronicler state about Rehoboam? Why do you think he includes them in this order?
- Observation: The verb “strengthened himself” (Hebrew yit chazzeq) is used only a few times in Chronicles. Look at 2 Chronicles 1:1 and 13:21. What pattern do you see in when this verb appears?
- Interpretation: Rehoboam is called “young and tender hearted” in 2 Chronicles 13:7, yet the text here says he was 41. How do you make sense of that? Does “young” have to mean a literal age, or can it describe character?
- Interpretation: The Chronicler calls Jerusalem “the city which Yahweh had chosen… to put his name there.” Why would he repeat this phrase in the middle of a report about a king who did evil? What does it tell you about God’s priorities?
- Application: Rehoboam’s mother was an Ammonitess, a foreigner from a nation that worshipped other gods. How do the people closest to us shape our spiritual commitments, for good or for harm?
- Application: Verse 14 says Rehoboam did evil because “he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.” What does it look like to “set your heart” to seek God? Is that the same as having good intentions?
- Application: If you were in Rehoboam’s position, king of a chosen city but personally failing, what would give you hope? Where in this verse do you see grace?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 20:24 | You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you. |
| Deuteronomy 12:5 | But to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, you shall seek his habitation, and you shall come there. |
| Deuteronomy 12:11 | then it shall happen that to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the wave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which you vow to Yahweh. |
| Deuteronomy 23:3 | An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into Yahweh’s assembly; even to the tenth generation shall no one belonging to them enter into Yahweh’s assembly forever, |
| I Kings 11:1 | Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites, |
| I Kings 14:21 | Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. |
| II Chronicles 6:6 | but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ |
| II Chronicles 13:7 | Worthless men were gathered to him, wicked fellows who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tender hearted, and could not withstand them. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that Rehoboam was likely only about sixteen, not forty-one, when he became king, based on descriptions of him as young and inexperienced in other passages. He suggests the number forty-one may be a copyist error, since a forty-one-year-old man would not be called tender-hearted or unseasoned.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator dismisses a variant reading found in some Greek manuscripts that gives Rehoboam a younger age and shorter reign, calling it a later imaginative addition. He then highlights the theological point that even after the ten tribes broke away, God kept His promise to David by preserving Jerusalem for his descendants.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators point to Rehoboam's mother being an Ammonitess as a significant detail, noting that this pagan background helps explain why he did evil in the Lord's sight. For them, the mention of her nationality is not incidental but a quiet signal about the spiritual influences that shaped his reign.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that Rehoboam fortified Jerusalem after Shishak withdrew, extending his reign another twelve years on top of the five already completed. The strengthening came as a defensive response, not an aggressive move, marking a distinct phase of his rule.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that Rehoboam's government revived after Shishak's invasion, yet he failed to persist in seeking the Lord. The commentator traces this failure to the lasting influence of his heathen mother, who gave him a strong early bias toward idolatry.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch interprets Rehoboam's strengthening after Shishak's invasion as recovery from near-destruction, not initial power. The writer defines Rehoboam's evil by his failure to prepare his heart to seek the Lord, making the moral judgment hinge on spiritual intention.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that the Chronicler
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Rehoboam was strengthened in Jerusalem, the city God had chosen for His name, yet this privilege only made his impiety worse. He did not cast off God entirely, but his failure was that he never engaged his heart to seek the Lord, and nearness to the temple could not substitute for a heart far from God.