- 35th of the Biblical Patriarchs
- 4th King of Judah
- 931 B.C. - Split of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel
- Major Biblical figure
Biography
Rehoboam - Son of Solomon by the Ammonite princess Naamah (1 Kgs. 14:21, 31), and his successor in the kingdom (1 Kgs. 11:43). During his reign the division took place between north and south (1 Kgs. 12), being mainly the result of an old rivalry between Judah and Ephraim, which Rehoboam tried to pacify by going to Shechem to be crowned. Much discontent had also been caused by the rigor of Solomon’s government, and by Rehoboam’s refusal to relieve the burdens placed upon the people (1 Kgs. 12:1–11). An invasion by Shishak, king of Egypt, also weakened Rehoboam’s power (1 Kgs. 14:21–31). See also 1 Kgs. 15:6; 1 Chr. 3:10; 2 Chr. 9:31; 10–12; 13:7; Matt. 1:7.
Rehoboam was the fourth king of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible. He was a son of and the successor to Solomon, and a grandson of David. In the account of I Kings and II Chronicles, he was initially king of the United Monarchy of Israel, but after the ten northern tribes of Israel rebelled in 932/931 BC to form the independent Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), under the rule of Jeroboam, Rehoboam remained as king of only the Kingdom of Judah, or southern kingdom.
The name is pronounced /ˌriːəˈboʊ.əm/ and is also written as Hebrew: רְחַבְעָם, Modern Rəẖavʻam, Tiberian Reḥāḇʻām; Greek: Ροβοαμ, translit. Rovoam; Latin: Roboam.
1 Kings Narrative
According to 1 Kings 11:1-13, Solomon had broken the mandate of the Torah [2] by marrying foreign wives and being influenced by them, worshipping and building shrines to the Moabite and Ammonite gods.
So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel ... Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son.[3]
Rehoboam reigned for 17 years. When he died he was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem. He was succeeded by his son Abijah.
Marriage and Family
Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines. They bore him 28 sons and 60 daughters. His wives included:
1st Marriage: Mahalath
- Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David,
His sons with Mahalath were Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
2nd Marriage: Abihail
- Abihail, the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse.
3rd Marriage: Maacah
After Mahalath he married his cousin Maacah, daughter of Absalom, David's son. His sons with Maacah were Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith.
Other Wives and Children
The names of his other wives, sons and all his daughters are not given.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Jeush ben Rehoboam | |||
| Shemariah ben Rehoboam | |||
| Zaham ben Rehoboam | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Abijah of Judah | 950 Jerusalem, Kingdom of Judah | 911 Jerusalem, Kingdom of Judah | |
| Attai ben Rehoboam | |||
| Ziza ben Rehoboam | |||
| Shelomith ben Rehoboam | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Rehoboam (974 BC-915 BC) | 972 Jerusalem, Kingdom of Israel | 915 Jerusalem, Kingdom of Judah | Mahalath bat Jerimoth Abihail bat Eliab Maacah bat Absalom |
Rehoboam of Judah
35th Biblical Patriarch | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Solomon |
4th King of Judah 910 – 869 BC |
Succeeded by Abijah |
References
- 1 Chr 2:3-12
- Gospel of Matthew Ch 1
- Gospel of Luke Ch 3
- Rehoboam - LDS Bible Dictionary
- Rehoboam - Wikipedia
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