Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 12:3
With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people [were] without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
3. with twelve hundred chariots ] The details given in this verse are absent from 1 Kin.
Lubims ] R.V. Lubim (cp. 2Ch 16:8). The “s” is not needed, “im” being a mark of the Heb. plural as in “Cherubim” and “Seraphim.” The Lubim are no doubt the Libyans.
Sukkiims ] R.V. Sukkiim. LXX. , i.e. the cave dwellers of the mountains which fringe the west coast of the Red Sea. But whether these are really meant here is doubtful.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
twelve hundred chariots – This number is not unusnal (compare Exo 14:7; 1Ki 10:26). Benhadad brought 1,200 chariots into the field against Shalmaneser II; and Ahabhad at the same time a force of 2,000 chariots (compare the 1Ki 20:1 note).
The Lubims or Libyans Dan 11:43, were a people of Africa, distinct from the Egyptians and the Ethiopians dwelling in their immediate neighborhood. They were called Ribu or Libu by the Egyptians. See Gen 10:13.
Sukkiims – This name does not occur elsewhere. The Septuagint, who rendered the word Troglodytes, regarded the Sukkiim probably as the cave-dwellers along the western shore of the Red Sea; but the conjecture that the word means tent-dwellers is plausible, and would point rather to a tribe of Arahs (Scenitae).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. The Lubims] Supposed to be a people of Libya, adjoining to Egypt; sometimes called Phut in Scripture, as the people are called Lehabim and Ludim.
The Sukkiims] The Troglodytes, a people of Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea. They were called Troglodytes, , , “because they dwelt in caves.” – Hesych. This agrees with what Pliny says of them, Troglodytae specus excavant, haec illis domus; “The Troglodytes dig themselves caves; and these serve them for houses.” This is not very different from the import of the original name Sukkiyim, from sachah, to cover or overspread; (hence such, a tabernacle😉 the people who were covered (emphatically) under the earth. The Septuagint translate by the word , Troglodytes.
The Ethiopians.] Cushim. Various people were called by this name, particularly a people bordering on the northern coast of the Red Sea; but these are supposed to have come from a country of that name on the south of Egypt.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Lubims; a people of Africa bordering upon Egypt; of whom See Poole “2Ch 16:8“; See Poole “Dan 11:43“; See Poole “Nah 3:9“.
The Sukkiims; a people living in tents, as the word signifies; and such there were not far from Egypt, both in Africa and in Arabia.
The Ethiopians; either those beyond Egypt, or the Arabians.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3-5. the Lubimsthe Libyans ofnortheastern Africa.
the SukkiimsSome thinkthese were the Kenite Arabs, dwellers in tents, but others maintainmore justly that these were Arab troglodytes, who inhabited thecaverns of a mountain range on the western coast of the Red Sea.
and the Ethiopiansfromthe regions south of Egypt. By the overwhelming force of numbers,they took the fortresses of Judah which had been recently put in astate of defense, and marched to lay siege to the capital. WhileShishak and his army was before Jerusalem, the prophet Shemaiahaddressed Rehoboam and the princes, tracing this calamity to thenational apostasy and threatening them with utter destruction inconsequence of having forsaken God (2Ch12:6).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen; and the people were without number,…. The foot soldiers; their number, according to Josephus h was 400,000:
that came with him out of Egypt; the above numerous army came from thence with him, which was famous for horses and chariots of war, see
Ex 14:7, what follow seem to have joined him after he came out of Egypt, or whom he subdued in his way; the Lubim or Lybians, inhabitants of Libya, a country near Egypt the same with the Lehabim; of whom see
Ge 10:13,
the Sukkiims; who were either the Scenite Arabs, who dwelt in tents, as this word signifies; or the Troglodytes, according to the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, who dwelt in dens and caves, in which sense the word “Succah” is sometimes used, Job 38:40 and in their country was a town called Suchae, mentioned by Pliny i; they inhabited near the Red sea; and if Shishak is the same with Sesostris, as is thought, these people were subdued by him, as Herodotus k and Strabo l testify:
and the Ethiopians; some think these were the Cushite Arabs, and that Sesostris came into Arabia is testified by the above writers; though rather the proper Ethiopians are meant, since they are joined with the Lubim or Africans; and since, as Herodotus m says, he ruled over Ethiopia; and Diodorus Siculus n says he fought with them, and obliged them to pay him tribute.
h Antiqu. l. 8. c. 10. sect. 2. i Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 29. k Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 102. l Geograph. l. 16. p. 529. m Ut supra, (Euterpe, sive, l. 2.) c. 110. n Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 50.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) With twelve hundred chariots.The short account in Kings says nothing of the numbers or constituents of the invading host. The totals here assigned are probably round numbers founded on a rough estimate. The cavalry are exactly fifty times as many as the chariots. Thenius finds the numbers not in credible.
The Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethi-opians.Rather, Lybians, Sukkyans, and Cushites (without the definite article). These were the peoplei.e., the footmen. The Lybians and Cushites are mentioned together as auxiliaries of Egypt in Nah. 3:9. (Comp. 2Ch. 16:8.) The Sukkyans are unknown, but the LXX. and Vulg. render Troglodytes, or cave-dwellers, meaning, it would seem, the Ethiopian Troglodytes of the mountains on the western shore of the Arabian Gulf. (Comp. sukk, his lair, Psa. 10:9.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. The Lubim Libyans, Dan 11:43; probably identical with the Lehabim of Gen 10:13. They were an African nation, apparently under Egyptian rule, and are repeatedly mentioned in connexion with the Egyptians and Ethiopians. Compare 1Ch 16:8; Nah 3:9. They peopled the African coast along the Mediterranean, west of Egypt.
The Sukkiim “This name does not occur elsewhere. The Seventy, who rendered the word by ‘Troglodytes,’ regarded the Sukkiim probably as the ‘ cave-dwellers’ along the western shore of the Red Sea, who are mentioned by Strabo and others; but the conjecture of Gesenius, that the word means ‘tent dwellers,’ is plausible, and would point rather to a tribe of Arabs.” Rawlinson. The Ethiopians inhabited the country south of Egypt, which was watered by the Upper Nile. Compare 2Ki 19:9; Est 1:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ch 12:3. The Lubims, the Sukkiims The Lubims were a people of Lybia, which adjoined to Egypt, and are sometimes in Scripture called Phut, and sometimes Lubims, from the Arabic word Lub, which signifies dry or thirsty, as was the land which they inhabited. The Sukkiims were the people called Troglodites, because they dwelt in Troglais, caves and dens in the earth, on the coast of the Red Sea. The people called Cush, which we translate Ethiopians, were either inhabitants of a country on the south of Egypt, or the Scenitae of Arabia; for the name was common to both.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ch 12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people [were] without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
Ver. 3. The Lubims. ] Or, Lybians. Nah 3:9
The Sukkiims.
a Lib. i.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
twelve hundred: Jdg 4:13, 1Sa 13:5, 2Sa 10:18
without number: 2Ch 14:9, Jdg 6:5, Rev 9:16
Lubims: Lubim, apparently the same with Lehabim (Gen 10:13), were probably the ancient inhabitants of Lybia (called Lubi in the Syriac version, Act 2:10), a district of Africa, adjoining to Egypt, and extending along the shore of the Mediterranean as far as the city of Cyrene. 2Ch 16:8; Eze 30:5; Nah 3:9
the Sukkiims: The Sukkiim (from sachach, “to cover”) are supposed to have been the Troglodites, as the LXX and Vulgate render, a people of Egypt, on the west of the Red Sea, so called because they dwelt , in caves.
Ethiopians: These Cushim were probably the inhabitants of Ethiopia, south of Egypt. 2Ch 14:12, 2Ch 16:8, Isa 43:3, Dan 11:43, Nah 3:9, Cushim, Heb. Gen 10:6-8
Reciprocal: 2Ki 7:6 – the kings of the Egyptians
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 12:3. The Lubims The people of Lybia, a famous country of Africa, adjoining to Egypt. And the Sukkiims were the Troglodytes, a people who lived on the western side of the Red sea, and had that name from their dwelling in dens and caves of the earth, which is also the meaning of the Hebrew word , succhiim, here used. As for the people called Cush, which we translate Ethiopians, they were either those to the south of Egypt, or the Scenit in Arabia.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people [were] without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the {b} Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.
(b) Who were a people of Africa called the Troglodytes because they lived in holes.