Who is Rehoboam in the Bible?
Rehoboam was a King of Israel who divided Israel in two. The elders of Israel offered the throne of Israel to Rehoboam. His rule was short-lived as the people rebelled against him. But, there are many stories about Rehoboam that we can learn from.
Rehoboam
Rehoboam is a character in the bible who came to power in the reign of King Solomon. He came to power at a time when the people had suffered greatly under Solomon. The heavy hand of Solomon was causing the people to become agitated. Civil unrest broke out near the end of Solomon’s reign. The people hoped for relief with Rehoboam’s accession to the throne. However, their expectations were dashed when Rehoboam’s reign began.
Rehoboam was born in the city of Shechem. This was a city with a rich history. Abraham worshipped there, Jacob built an altar there, and Joseph was buried there. Moreover, Shechem was the geographic center of many northern tribes. By meeting on their land, he demonstrated his weakness.
Rehoboam’s descendants expanded and settled throughout the land. He also established cities as fortresses and strongholds. He also set up a great city in Bethlehem. Rehoboam and his descendants established several towns for defense in Judah.
After the death of his father, Rehoboam became King of Israel. However, he faced revolts from his own people shortly after. Rehoboam’s reign is chronicled in 1Ki 14:21-31 and 2Ch 10:1-19 and 12:1-16.
In addition to Jeroboam, Rehoboam had many wives, including eighteen wives and sixty concubines. He also fathered 28 sons and sixty daughters. His oldest son by his favorite wife became the chief prince, and the rest of his children were distributed throughout the different districts. Rehoboam provided for his children lavishly.
King Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon and Naamah the Ammonitess. He reigned for seventeen years. The story of his reign is found in 2 Chronicles 10-12, 1 Kings 12:1-24, and 14:21-31.
Rehoboam’s concubines
King Rehoboam was a man who took many wives and concubines. In all, he married eighteen women. His wives bore him at least thirty-eight sons and daughters. His first wife, Mahalath, was the daughter of King David, and his second wife, Abihail, a descendant of Eliab the son of Jesse, bore him three sons, Abijah, Shamariah, and Zaham.
In addition to taking 18 wives, Rehoboam also had sixty concubines. This was an obvious violation of God’s commandments for kings found in Deuteronomy 17:17. Rehoboam’s concubines were not full wives, and they did not have many rights.
The main purpose of a concubine was to produce a male heir for her husband, provide more children for his family, and satisfy his sexual desires. Despite her inferior status, a concubine was regarded as an asset in a patriarchal society. Historically, concubines were more common among royals and the rich.
King Rehoboam’s concumbrances and philandering were the primary causes for Judah’s decline. This was a result of his neglect of spiritual things. As a result, he was able to increase his own power by deporting priests and Levites to Judah. His deceitful actions led to the destruction of the kingdom and a decline in the quality of the subsequent kings.
The Old Testament is full of stories of concubines that expose the sins of mankind and point to the need for the grace of Christ. These historical accounts have no happy endings or moral themes. The Spirit of God did not lead Bible writers to include stories of sin, but the stories show the depth of human depravity and the need for Jesus Christ.
His wives
The Bible mentions that King Rehoboam had at least 18 wives, a large number for a king. He also had sixty concubines. These women bore him twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. These wives included Mahalath, the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth. He also married his cousin Maacah, the daughter of Absalom. Among his children were Absalom, Jerusha, Abijah, Ziza, and Maacah.
Rehoboam had 18 wives, but some translations differ slightly regarding their names. The Authorized Version says that Mahalath was the daughter of Jerimoth and Abihail, while many other translations say the names are the same. The Soncino Books of the Bible also state that the two wives were related, though the exact relationship isn’t specified.
Solomon and Rehoboam’s wives also differ. Solomon had nine wives, while Rehoboam’s wives had as many as sixty. Solomon did not learn from his mistake, but he did not take fewer wives. In addition, he didn’t have the means to support as many wives as his father did, which is a breach of the Deuteronomy 17:17 commandment. Solomon’s wives had other sons.
Among the sons of Rehoboam was Abijah, who was the leader of his brothers. He also intended to make Abijah the next king. Rehoboam subsequently sent some of his sons to various fortified cities, giving them plenty of food and provisions. He also sought a number of wives for his sons.
Rehoboam’s rule over Judah lasted only seventeen years, after Solomon’s death. The dynasty he built was short lived and was eventually overthrown by the Babylonians in the 6th century B.C.E. The Bible credits Rehoboam as an ancestor of Jesus Christ, which makes him a very important figure in the life of the Savior.
His rule as king of Israel
During his rule, Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon, and the Israelites expected him to be the next king. However, Rehoboam’s actions led to division within Israel. As a result, the kingdom was divided, and Rehoboam’s foolishness would shape the course of history.
Rehoboam’s rule was characterized by many problems. He was a son of Solomon, but was only forty-one years old when he began his rule as king of Israel. His mother was an Ammonite named Naamah. His kingdom was openly wicked before the LORD and set records in sin. They built high places and pillars, and they also worshipped idols, including Asherah.
Rehoboam’s rule is also documented in the book of the kings of Judah. His reign was marked by constant warfare with his brother Jeroboam. In the fifth year of his reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah. The invasion resulted in widespread defeats for Judahites, and both the Temple and royal palace were looted. In this time, the biblical narrative does not ignore issues such as taxation and labor. These issues are essential in this context, and they qualify Jeroboam to rule the nation.
When Rehoboam became king, he did not listen to the advice of his elders. Instead, he sought advice from peers who were unable to give him valuable advice. He believed that his peers would advise him to refuse the requests of the people and to tax them harder than Solomon. But this was not the way to build a prosperous society.
Jeroboam was a wicked king. He led Israel in worshipping idols and was not loyal to the God of Israel. He also led the Israelites to commit sin, and built a city of Peniel in territory belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. Although scholars argue about whether Jeroboam established two capitals, it is clear that Shechem was his base of operations.
His influence on the people
Rehoboam’s influence over the people was limited. He was unable to make a lasting impact on the people of Israel due to his ineffective leadership. The people wanted a new leader and they were not willing to trust Rehoboam’s leadership. They revolted against him, and he was deposed. The people were divided by the schism, and the northern kingdom was weakened.
The rebellion of Jeroboam paralleled that of Jeroboam at Sinai. Though worship of golden calves was still labeled as Yahweh, Jeroboam most likely intended to have the people worship this idol instead. These pagan religions often represented their gods in human form, and Jeroboam’s act was a transgression of the divine command to worship the golden calf.
Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines. These wives bore him twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters. He also married his cousin Maacah, daughter of Absalom. His children from this marriage included Abijam, Attai, and Ziza.
Rehoboam should have listened to the people and acted accordingly. As a king, he should have listened to the people and sought their advice. However, a king should not always follow the people’s wishes. Rather, a king should know when the people’s wishes are the best.
Because Solomon had been unfaithful, Rehoboam had the choice of staying faithful to the covenant. If he had chosen to follow the Lord’s instructions, he would have received the blessings of God and the protection of his people. However, he chose to strengthen the kingdom by his own, which would ultimately prove futile.
When Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, was chosen to be his successor. The twelve tribes of Israel, led by the tribe of Judah, gathered at Shechem to ratify Rehoboam as their king. However, the other tribes, led by Jeroboam of Ephraim, refused to acknowledge Rehoboam’s election.