King Jeroboam the first King of the House of Israel

1 Kings 11:26-14:20 and 2 Chronicles 9:29-13:22. After King Solomon’s death, his kingdom was divided into two.

The northern kingdom was called the House of Israel and the southern kingdom was called the House of Judah. King Jeroboam was the first king of Israel’s ten northern tribes – the House of Israel. His cultic and warring leadership marked him with infamy as “Jeroboam the son of Nebat had done, which ensnared Israel in sin”.(e.g., 1 kings 13:33-34, 2 Kings 3:3) and drew the anger of the Lord God.

Jeroboam reigned for 21 years 931BC-910BC.

Jeroboam in Hebrew means: Enlarger.

Died by being stricken by God. (2 Chronicles 13:20)

Many people not faithful to the Lord God moved to the northern kingdom and many people faithful to the Lord God from the different tribes in the northern kingdom moved to the southern kingdom.

List of the Kings of Israel and time line – 900BC-700BC.

Background Reading:

Jeroboam Rebels Against Solomon

11:26 Solomon had a servant, Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother was named Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon, 27 and this is why he rose in rebellion against the king: Solomon had built up the terrace ramparts in the city of his father David in order to repair a weakness. 28 Jeroboam was a valiant soldier, and because Solomon observed that the young man was able to get things done, he set him in charge over all of the conscripted labor from the household of Joseph. 29 During that time, Jeroboam left Jerusalem and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road. Ahijah had wrapped himself up in a new cloak, and both of them were alone on the open road. 30 Ahijah grabbed the new cloak that he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces! 31 Then he told Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, because this is what the LORD God of Israel says:

‘Pay attention! I’m going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s control and give you ten tribes. 32 I’ll leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and one tribe for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I chose from all of the tribes of Israel. 33 I’m doing this because they have abandoned me and worshipped that Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They haven’t lived my way by doing what I consider to be right and observing my statutes and my ordinances, like his father David did.
1 Kings 11:26-33
Continued in 1 Kings 11:34-14:20.


Other modules in this unit: