Jeroboam I Jeroboam I, son of Nebat from the tribe of Ephraim, was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel (931–910 BC). He led the northern ten tribes into the sins that brought about the destruction of the northern kingdom. Jeroboam began his political career by supervising Solomon’s labor forces in the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Kgs 11:26-28). Because Solomon had drifted away from the Lord, God determined to remove the ten northern tribes from the rule of David’s descendants. The prophet Ahijah told Jeroboam that the Lord had chosen him to lead those tribes and to give him a lasting dynasty if he was faithful (11:29-39). Solomon apparently caught wind of what had happened and tried to kill Jeroboam, who sought refuge in Egypt (11:40; cp. Saul and David, 1 Sam 18:5–20:42). When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam was immediately proclaimed king in Judah, but the northern tribes had to affirm his kingship separately. Seizing the opportunity, Jeroboam took the northern leaders to Rehoboam to seek relief from the harsh labor Solomon had forced on them (1 Kgs 12:1-4). Rehoboam foolishly spurned their request (12:5-14), so the north rebelled and appointed Jerobo...

Rehoboam Rehoboam, the son of Solomon and an Ammonite woman (1 Kgs 14:21), was forty-one when he became king; he reigned for seventeen years (931–913 BC). He is remembered for instigating the split of Solomon’s kingdom and for being the first king of Judah, the southern kingdom. When Solomon died (931 BC), Judah immediately proclaimed Rehoboam king. The ten northern tribes were hesitant to support him, demanding relief from Solomon’s harsh policies (see 12:4; 2 Chr 10:4). The king’s mature advisers urged him to agree to their requests, but he rejected their advice and foolishly listened to younger advisers, who advised him to be even tougher than his father. The northern tribes rebelled and proclaimed Jeroboam, Solomon’s former labor official, as their king. Rehoboam went to war, seeking control against the north, but God sent the prophet Shemaiah to tell him this was useless since the split was God’s judgment (2 Chr 11:1-4). So Rehoboam returned to Judah and fortified his boundaries (2 Chr 11:5-12). When Jeroboam established a new apostate religion in the northern kingdom, priests and Levites streamed to the south, where they strengthened the spiritual fiber of the realm...

Solomon Solomon was the third king of Israel, the second son of David and Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:13-25); he reigned forty years (971–931 BC). Solomon began his reign with promising confidence in God but ended his life as an idol-worshiper who destroyed his kingdom. As King David neared death, his son Adonijah made an attempt on the throne, supported by the priest Abiathar and the general Joab (1 Kgs 1:1-53). The kingdom had been promised to Solomon, however (1 Kgs 1:17; see 2 Sam 12:24-25; 1 Chr 28:4-7), so Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan informed David of Adonijah’s intentions. David immediately arranged Solomon’s coronation. Then David advised Solomon to follow God faithfully (1 Kgs 2:1-9). Solomon loved God and sought his help. God asked him to choose a gift, and since he chose wisdom rather than long life, riches, or fame, God gave him all of these. Solomon governed wisely (1 Kgs 3:16-28), received worldwide respect (1 Kgs 4:20-34), and wrote the Song of Songs, along with most of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Rabbis said that these books came from three stages of his life: “When a man is young he composes songs; when he grows older he makes sententious remarks; and when he...