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2 Chronicles 12:14

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.
2 Chronicles 12:14 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He did that which was evil, because he didn’t set his heart to seek Yahweh.
  • BSB And Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.
  • NKJV And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.
  • NASB But he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.
  • NLT But he was an evil king, for he did not seek the Lord with all his heart.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Rehoboam did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD. The root of his failure was an undevoted heart.

Overview

The Chronicler diagnoses Rehoboam's sin at its source: he 'did not set his heart to seek the LORD.' Evil flowed from a heart not fixed on God, not merely from outward circumstance. This verse underscores the Chronicler's central call to wholehearted seeking of God, the very devotion fulfilled and enabled by Christ, who gives his people new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 16

  • 2 Chr 19:3Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
  • Isa 55:6–7Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
  • Isa 45:19I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
  • Ezek 33:31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.
  • 1 Cor 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
  • 1 Cor 15:58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
  • 2 Chr 11:16And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
  • Ps 78:37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
  • Ps 105:3–4Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.
  • 2 Chr 30:19That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
  • Ps 78:8And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
  • Matt 7:7Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
  • 1 Sam 7:3And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
  • Deut 5:29O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!
  • 1 Chr 29:18O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
  • Ps 57:7My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

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Christ at the center

Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.

How 2 Chronicles 12:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.