No one rebels alone. l. 1. p. 50. 40 Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he ran away to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, where he stayed until Solomon died. The narrative introduces Jeroboam after describing how two men (Haddad and Rezon) actively fought against Solomon, but then it explains how Jeroboam became one of Solomons officials and describes a prophecy which likely incited his rebellion. Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. His reign was an era unmatched in peace and prosperity, highlighted by the completion of the Temple in Jerusalem. 16And he said, vI may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, The Death of Solomon . What is Wario dropping at the end of Super Mario Land 2 and why? Jeroboam's rebellion cannot be explained by only one verse of scripture. So he put him in charge of all of the workers in northern Israel. Speaking to Jeroboams wife, the prophet Ahijah relays a sharp rebuke from God: I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. Human beings are fascinated by stories of kings and conquest, royalty, elections, and political turmoil. Sheshonk I has left a record of his expedition against Judah, which accords well with what is related of Shishak 1 Kings 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12:2-4. and Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt; the common sanctuary of persons in distress in those days: unto Shishak king of Egypt; either the father in law or the brother in law of Solomon, or one of another family, on whom the kingdom devolved; and who might not have any good respect for Solomon, and therefore Jeroboam thought himself safe with him: this is the only king of Egypt, in Scripture, that is called by his own name, and not Pharaoh; he is generally supposed to be the same with the Sesostris of Herodotus (t), and the Vexoris or Vexosis of Justin (u); and the rather he may be meant, since, according to Herodotus (w), he was the only king of Egypt that ruled over the Ethiopians: and Strabo says (x) he was the first that subdued Ethiopia and the country of the Troglodytes; also Diodorus Siculus affirms (y), that he fought with the Ethiopians dwelling to the south, and obliged them to pay tribute; out of which countries Shishak brought many with him in his expedition against Jerusalem, 2 Chronicles 12:2. and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon; not daring to return till that time, and then he did. 20And the sister of Tahpenes bore him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaohs house. 2.) Being from the tribe of Ephraim, Jeroboam naturally sought to rule his kingdom from there. my Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.5. When Rehoboam sent someone to enforce this new, heavier burden, the Israelites stoned him to death. As Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon, the prophet Ahijah appeared to Jeroboam with a unique prophecy. The tribes of Israel under the leadership of Jeroboam had complained about the burdensome yokes of Solomon. he threatened him and Jeroboam fled to Egypt. 14lNow the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 666 talents of gold, He was, therefore, king for the last fifteen years of Solomon's reign; and his favourable reception of the rebel Jeroboam indicates a natural change of attitude towards the Israelite power. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Their grievances were because of the burden of work. 2She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels cbearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam escaped to Egypt and found refuge with King Shishak of Egypt. These grievances are mentioned in chapter 12. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. 29A chariot could be imported from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver and a horse for 150, and so through the kings traders they were exported to all the kings of vthe Hittites and the kings of Syria. 41 As for the other events of Solomon's reignall he did and the wisdom he displayedare they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? Article Images Copyright , 5 Key Lessons from King Jeroboams Bible Story. History is full of unpleasant tales involving those in power, those who crave power, and those who will do anything to keep power. 18The king also made a great ivory throne and overlaid it with the finest gold. 980. Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! When he returned, the tribal feud between Ephraim and Judah gave him his great opportunity. Checking Irreducibility to a Polynomial with Non-constant Degree over Integer. Fed up with the power-tripping kings from Davids line, the northern tribes declared Jeroboam their king, leaving Rehoboam to rule the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Rehoboam the son of an Ammonitess doesn't deny their claims. It was certainly not earlier than Solomon's twenty-fourth year, since it was after the building of Millo 1 Kings 11:27. Though Jeroboam doesnt gain the seal of divine approval as Northern Israels first king, a credential withheld from every northern king who followed, there are several things we can learn from his leadership and those like him. 18Then King Rehoboam sent tAdoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death with stones. I addressed the grievances from a historical standpoint. Logos Bible Software 10 review: Do you REALLY need it? His reign was meant to be a course-correction for the Jewish people. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. CSB Now, in the final stage of . 8 Ways You Are Belittling Your Husband and What God Says about California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Behold, I will Then Solomon's servant, Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite from Zereda, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king. 2nAnd the man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord and said, O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, oJosiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you. 27If this people cgo up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. In just his second year as king, Baasha of the tribe of Issachar assassinated King Nadab and took the throne for himself (1 Kings 15:27). 8But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. 31And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; alay my bones beside his bones. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 30Then fthis thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one.2 Ignoring his advisors and heeding the advice of his peers, Rehoboam doubled down, declaring: My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. Jeroboams choice of date for this festival was thus an integral part of his overall plan to restore traditional practices in the N.. 19uSo Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day. Through Ahijah, the Lord said: I will do this because they have forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Molek the god of the Ammonites, and have not walked in obedience to me, nor done what is right in my eyes, nor kept my decrees and laws as David, Solomons father, did. 1 Kings 11:33. Unfortunately, the cycle of the Bibles own game of thrones saw various kings outdo each other on the wickedness scale. And yet, long before Gods people were led into exile at the hands of Babylon in 586 B.C., Israel as a nation had already begun to fracture and deteriorate from within, beginning with the nation being divided into two kingdoms in 931 B.C. He fortified the city of Tirzah in Shechem and lived there, then built up the city of Peniel, which was in the territory belonging to the tribe of Manasseh. Foreign wars, national turmoil, political coups, backstabbing, betrayal 1&2 Kings chronicles this unsettling and often violent three hundred and fifty years of Israels history. As to the reason for Jeroboam's rebellion, I will base my answer on five main points. 1 Kings 12:31 and 2 Chronicles 11:1317 tell us that as part of his plan to reduce dependence on Jerusalem, Jeroboam appointed his own priests, who werent Levites. 1. 8And the man of God said to the king, sIf you give me half your house, tI will not go in with you. field Now it happened at that time, when Jeroboam went out rTo your tents, O Israel! Would you ever say "eat pig" instead of "eat pork"? 6And the king said to the man of God, qEntreat now the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me. And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the kings hand was restored to him and became as it was before. Kristyn Getty is an award-winning singer-songwriter. 5:9; II Chron. Scholars debate whether this meant Jeroboam established two capitals (one on each side of the Jordan River), but Shechem was his primary base of operations. While still young, he was promoted by King Solomon to be the chief superintendent of the bands of forced laborers from the tribe of "Joseph," referring normally to both Ephraim and Manasseh, working on projects in Jerusalem.. Solomon, however, had incurred the disapproval of the . 5He said to them, nGo away for three days, then come again to me. So the people went away. Why did King Solomon have so many wives and concubines? The lion had not eaten the body or torn the donkey. So rather than being blessed, his reign became a blot on Israels history, and his family was cursed. Later, the prophets sometimes referred to the entire kingdom as Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:9, Hosea 5:3). 12But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, they did not please him. gBecause the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, hthat you may execute justice and righteousness. So he finished the house. Contextually, one often has to regard historical setting and events to develop an accurate understanding of a specific text. The prophet did so, and the king was again able to move his arm. These building projects required a lot of quarrying, artisanship and logging. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 2 Chronicles 16:10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And he instituted a feast for the people of Israel and went up to the altar kto make offerings. 25And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. So the unseen hand of God is the final answer to this question. Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And this is what caused him to rebel against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and repaired the damages to the City of David his father. by Ryan Nelson | Jul 20, 2020 | Bible characters. Despite their efforts, all rulers are subject to the authority of the King of Kings and will answer to Him for their leadership. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. eBehold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. clothed himself with a new garment, and the two [were] alone in the So she turned and went back to her own land with her servants. This kind of political intrigue would have been socially damaging since the competing forces were non-native. 13And King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all that she desired, whatever she asked besides what was given her by the bounty of King Solomon. Here is the account of how he rebelled against the king: Solomon had house. Is there a generic term for these trajectories? I believe that Jeroboam's rebellion had been a long time coming. (t) Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 102. 2mthe Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 12So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king said, oCome to me again the third day. Jeroboam ruled over the majority of the tribes, and Rehoboam ruled "Judah" (which also included Benjamin and at some stage at least some from Ephraim and Manasseh ). of David his father. Shishak king of Egypt.--The Shishak of the Old Testament is certainly to be identified with the Sheshenk of the Egyptian monuments, the Sesonchis or Sesonchosis of the Greek historians; and the identification is an important point in the Biblical chronology, for the accession of Sheshenk is fixed by the Egyptian traditions at about B.C. (u) E Trogo, l. 1. c. He stayed in Egypt until Solomon died. 11and Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, as much as he desired, King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. However, precedent had already been set. We create research-based articles and handy infographics to help people understand the Bible. chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scourges!' 12Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. The Lord has spoken! 1 Kings 14:8-11. In time, Solomon died and his son Rehoboam became king. And the Lord will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. 27And Hiram sent wwith the fleet his servants, seamen who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. Jeroboam was the first king of Northern Israel after the nation split into two kingdoms following the death of Solomon. 24And the whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Heath worked in radio and theater for thirty-five years, including voicing characters for computer games and television, narrating a radio program for kids, and working as a senior member of the acting ensemble of the Lambs Players Theatre. Jeroboam was a very capable young man, and when . Hearing that God had anointed Jeroboam, Solomon moved to kill the would-be usurper. As the new king, Jeroboam had some problems threatening his ability to rule: God made him king in order to draw the Israelites back to himself, but Gods dwelling place was in Jerusalem, and the Israelites were accustomed to offering sacrifices there. From prophets like Moses to Joshua. Moses: The Old Testaments Greatest Prophet. The apostle Paul would later write, there is no authority except that which God has established. 23pThus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. 7And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever. Who Was Herod? well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, 42 Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel . 16(Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it with fire, and had killed fthe Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to ghis daughter, Solomons wife; 18and Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah,3 Sign up for an account to try it FREE for 30 days. Is it possible to control it remotely? His name was Jeroboam. For when the people of Israel saw that King Rehoboam had no intention of listening to their concerns and wasnt going to lead with the wisdom of his father, they rejected the house of David and made Jeroboam their king instead (1 Kings 12:20). 16(for Joab and all Israel remained there six months, until he had cut off every male in Edom). Jeroboam reigned for 22 years (14:20), approximately from 928 to 907 B.C.E. To the author, Jeroboam wasnt just yet another king who ignored Gods commandments. The prophet refused and left Beth-el. t Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of David his father. And the king put them in nthe House of the Forest of Lebanon. 43And Solomon gslept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David his father. into twelve pieces. 29And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet uAhijah the Shilonite found him on the road. He was one of Solomons administrators, but through the prophet Ahijah, God compelled him to rebel, promising to give him a dynasty as lasting as Davidsso long as he obeyed God. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. Jeroboams rise to power began with a promise from God. Did not King Solomon defile the altar by killing Joab while he was still holding onto its horns in 1 Kings? So my point is that you cannot tie it all to one verse. Kings of Judah were constantly compared to David, the gold standard of loyalty to God (1 Kings 11:6; 15:3; 2 Kings 14:3; 16:2; 18:3; 22:2). father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke; my father 41 As for the other events of Solomon's reign--all he did and the wisdom he displayed--are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? c. 110. 10yNow when zthe queen of aSheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came bto test him with hard questions. and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon. Jeroboam's rebellion cannot be explained by only one verse of scripture. For. I will answer this question soon Bach. 22but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, Eat no bread and drink no water, your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers. Jeroboams action is better understood as a reversion to an old agrarian calendar followed in the N which had been altered when a full-scale synchronization of divergent calendars was instituted by David or Solomon (Talmon 1958: 5657). By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. In this case the Ephraimites who ruled over the 10 Northern tribes.