Rehoboam’s Arrogance

Rehoboam was the last monarch before the division of the unified kingdom into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. His father was the wise King Solomon, and his grandfather was King David. His mother was Naamah the Ammonite. King Rehoboam had 18 wives, 60 concubines, 28 sons, and 60 daughters (2 Chronicles 11:21).

Though Rehoboam was the son of the wise Solomon, he was narrow-minded and lacked foresight. After King Solomon’s death, representatives of the twelve tribes gathered in Shechem to discuss anointing Rehoboam as king. At that time, there was mutual jealousy between Judah and the northern tribes for various reasons, and the people suffered under heavy taxation. They chose Jeroboam as their representative to present all their grievances to the future king. Rehoboam acknowledged their plea and asked for three days to consider before giving his answer (1 Kings 12:1-5).

Rehoboam first consulted with the elders who had advised King Solomon. These elders advised Rehoboam to grant the request of the two tribal representatives and to speak to the people with gentle words. They told him that if he did so, the people would forever be his loyal subjects. However, King Rehoboam then consulted with some younger men who were his contemporaries. Their opinion was contrary to that of the elders. They advised Rehoboam to tell the people: “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. My father made your yoke heavy; I will make your yoke even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” Rehoboam followed the advice of the young men. When the people again came to meet the king, Rehoboam insolently answered them according to the young men’s counsel. Consequently, ten of the twelve tribes declared their secession from Rehoboam’s rule. Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the official in charge of forced labor, to proclaim reconciliation to the people, but the people stoned Adoniram to death. King Rehoboam, in fear, quickly mounted his chariot and fled back to Jerusalem. Only Judah, most of Benjamin, and the Simeonites remained loyal to Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:6-20).

Rehoboam gathered a large army to fight the rebels, but the prophet Shemaiah stopped him, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘You shall not go up or fight against your relatives, the people of Israel. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.'” So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home (1 Kings 12:21-24).

When Jeroboam became king of the ten tribes, he made two golden calves in Bethel and Dan, which led the people into sin. Consequently, the priests and Levites moved south and returned to King Rehoboam. Rehoboam’s power grew year by year, but after a few years, Rehoboam also fell into the sin of idolatry (1 Kings 14:21-24; 2 Chronicles 11:1-17; 12:1).

In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt invaded Judah, capturing several fortified cities. Finally, Jerusalem was taken, and Shishak plundered the treasures of the Temple and the royal palace, also carrying off the golden shields that Solomon had made (1 Kings 14:25-28; 2 Chronicles 12:2-12). Rehoboam died around 916 BC, and his son Abijah succeeded him as king (1 Kings 14:21-31; 2 Chronicles 12:13-16).