2 Chronicles 12:10

“And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.”

Historical context:The verse is part of the account of King Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon, and his reign over the divided kingdom of Israel. Rehoboam ruled over the southern kingdom of Judah while Jeroboam ruled over the northern kingdom of Israel.

Previous events:Prior to the events described in this verse, Rehoboam had forsaken the law of the Lord, causing the kingdom of Judah to fall under the judgment of God. As a consequence, King Shishak of Egypt invaded Judah and laid siege to Jerusalem.

Repentance and consequence:In response to the invasion, Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah humbled themselves before the Lord. They acknowledged their wrongdoing and repented. As a result, the Lord spoke through the prophet Shemaiah and declared that He would not destroy them completely but would subject them to the rule of King Shishak.

Brass shields:In verse 9, it is mentioned that King Shishak took away the treasures from the house of the Lord and from the king’s house. In verse 10, we find that Rehoboam replaced the gold shields that were taken with bronze shields. These brass shields were given to the chief of the guard, who was responsible for guarding the entrance to the king’s house.

Symbolic significance:The replacement of the gold shields with brass shields reflects a decline in the glory and prosperity of the kingdom of Judah. Gold represents wealth, royalty, and the divine presence, whereas brass, though still valuable, is considered a lesser metal. The change from gold to brass signifies a loss of splendor and divine favor.