(7) But I will grant them some deliverance.--Rather, and I will give them a few for a remnant. (Comp. 2Chronicles 12:12, "that he would not destroy him altogether.") For the phrase "to give a remnant," see Ezra 9:13. The word rendered "few" is kim'at. (Comp. 1Chronicles 16:19 : Isaiah 1:9.) The pointing kim'?t is peculiar to this passage.

My wrath shall not be poured out.--Or, pour itself out, wreak itself. The phrase denotes a judgment of extermination. (Comp. its use in 2Chronicles 34:25.)

By the hand of Shishak.--The destruction of Jerusalem was reserved for the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Verse 7. - Some deliverance. The Hebrew for "some" here is כִּמְעַט. There is plain authority (Ruth 2:7; Psalm 38:10) for translating this word as of time, and the rendering "a little while" of the margin, will, therefore, seem preferable. But see next note, and the" altogether" of ver. 12. It has often been most justly remarked what grateful note should be taken of the fact that God always is recorded as turning such a wistful, loving eye to any symptom of repentance (1 Kings 21:27-29; Jonah 2:5-9). Who can estimate the loss of men, that the symptoms have been so frequent, so comparatively easily found as compared with the reality of lastingness?

12:1-16 Rehoboam, forsaking the Lord, is punished. - When Rehoboam was so strong that he supposed he had nothing to fear from Jeroboam, he cast off his outward profession of godliness. It is very common, but very lamentable, that men, who in distress or danger, or near death, seem much engaged in seeking and serving God, throw aside all their religion when they have received a merciful deliverance. God quickly brought troubles upon Judah, to awaken the people to repentance, before their hearts were hardened. Thus it becomes us, when we are under the rebukes of Providence, to justify God, and to judge ourselves. If we have humbled hearts under humbling providences, the affliction has done its work; it shall be removed, or the property of it be altered. The more God's service is compared with other services, the more reasonable and easy it will appear. Are the laws of temperance thought hard? The effects of intemperance will be found much harder. The service of God is perfect liberty; the service of our lusts is complete slavery. Rehoboam was never rightly fixed in his religion. He never quite cast off God; yet he engaged not his heart to seek the Lord. See what his fault was; he did not serve the Lord, because he did not seek the Lord. He did not pray, as Solomon, for wisdom and grace; he did not consult the word of God, did not seek to that as his oracle, nor follow its directions. He made nothing of his religion, because he did not set his heart to it, nor ever came up to a steady resolution in it. He did evil, because he never was determined for good.And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves,.... Though but externally; the Lord takes notice of external humiliation, as he did of Ahab's, 1 Kings 21:29,

the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, they have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them; not now, at least not altogether, 2 Chronicles 12:12,

but I will grant them some deliverance; yet not a complete one, for they were brought into servitude by Shishak, 2 Chronicles 12:8, or only for a short time:

and my wrath shall not be poured out against Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak; that is, to the uttermost; that was reserved to another time, and to be done by another hand, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.