Hebrew · Strong's H7346
רְחַבְעָם
(reh-khab-AM)
proper noun
Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and grandson of David; he was the first king of Judah after the kingdom of Israel was divided.
Rehoboam appears in the biblical narrative as the son and successor of King Solomon. His reign marks a pivotal moment in Israelite history, as the united monarchy of David and Solomon fractured into two separate kingdoms: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The division occurred primarily due to Rehoboam's refusal to lighten the burdensome policies his father, Solomon, had imposed upon the people. Instead, he threatened even harsher measures, alienating the northern tribes and prompting their secession.
His story is recounted in detail in 1 Kings 11–14 and 2 Chronicles 10–12. These accounts highlight his initial rejection of the counsel of older, experienced advisors in favor of the advice of younger, less seasoned companions. This decision proved disastrous, directly leading to the schism. Despite this early misstep, Rehoboam continued to rule over the kingdom of Judah. The biblical narrative describes periods of both faithfulness and unfaithfulness to God during his reign, indicating a complex and often wavering commitment to the Lord.
The accounts also record conflicts between Rehoboam's kingdom of Judah and the newly formed kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam. Furthermore, Rehoboam's reign saw an invasion from Shishak, king of Egypt, who plundered Jerusalem. Rehoboam’s legacy is primarily associated with the division of the monarchy and the subsequent establishment of two distinct Israelite kingdoms, a political and religious separation that had lasting implications for the history of God's people.
Common English renderings
- Rehoboam
- Roboam
- Rechabam
Key verses
"And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead."
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"So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day."
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"And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?"
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"And it came to pass, when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established, and he was strong, that he forsook the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him."
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"So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess."
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"Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the histories of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer, after the manner of genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually."
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Related words