Rehoboam

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Hebrew Reḥav‘ām (רְחַבְעָם), “the people are enlarged” or “he enlarges the people”
• Period/Era: Divided Kingdom
• Main References: 1 Kings 12–14; 2 Chronicles 10–12
• Key Connections: Son of Solomon; grandson of David; ruler over Judah and Benjamin; opposed by Jeroboam of the northern tribes

Who was Rehoboam?

Rehoboam was the son of Solomon who became king when Israel’s united monarchy ended.
His early rule was marked by a policy decision that triggered the secession of the northern tribes.
He reigned in Jerusalem over Judah (and Benjamin), establishing the southern kingdom’s Davidic line.
His reign included conflict with the north and an invasion by Egypt under Shishak.

Key Events & Achievements

• Event 1: Rejected elders’ counsel and answered Israel harshly, contributing to the division of the kingdom (1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10).
• Event 2: Was restrained from civil war by Shemaiah’s prophetic word, accepting the new political reality (1 Kings 12:21–24; 2 Chronicles 11:1–4).
• Event 3: Faced Shishak’s invasion of Judah, resulting in loss of temple and palace treasures (1 Kings 14:25–28; 2 Chronicles 12:2–9).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Rehoboam’s reign illustrates how royal policy and responsiveness to prophetic instruction shaped Judah’s stability in the Divided Kingdom.

Key Verse

"So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfill his word, which the LORD spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat." — 1 Kings 12:15, ESV