Rehoboam, King of Judah

GOLDEN TEXT: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” —James 1:5

II CHRONICLES 10:6-17

REHOBOAM was the son of Solomon, and was the lawful heir to the throne which his father occupied for forty years. During the reign of Solomon the nation of Israel rose to its highest pinnacle of fame and glory. Jesus speaks of “Solomon in all his glory.”—Matt. 6:29

Evidently, however, despite, the outward appearance of prosperity, the people of Israel were heavily taxed to maintain the splendor and glory of the king and his court. So, after he died, and when his son Rehoboam was about to ascend to the throne, he was interviewed by representatives of the people and asked if he would do what he could to ease the tax burden.

Jeroboam seemed to be chief spokesman for the people in presenting this request to Rehoboam. Formerly Jeroboam occupied a high position in Solomon’s government. (I Kings 11:28) Solomon became suspicious that Jeroboam might be seeking to seize the throne, and therefore endeavored to have him killed. The Prophet Ahijah assured Jeroboam that God would give ten of the tribes of Israel into his hands, but not while Solomon was living. So, when he realized that Solomon was attempting to destroy him he fled into Egypt, returning after the king’s death.—I Kings 11:29-40

His position in Solomon’s government was superintendent over taxes and labors exacted from the tribe of Ephraim. From this position he would be fully aware of the attitude of the people regarding taxes, and it may well have been he who suggested the petition to Rehoboam to reduce this burden.

Rehoboam did not give the people an answer right away, but asked them to return in three days. Meanwhile he sought advice from a group of elderly men who had served as Solomon’s advisers—his cabinet members, so to speak. These men, like Jeroboam, had been in a position to know how irksome the tax burdens were to the people, and seeing this as a favorable, opportunity to gain the good will of the people and put them solidly behind the new ruler, they advised Rehoboam to grant their demands.

But Rehoboam, young and ambitious, wanting no doubt to maintain the glory of the kingdom, and, if possible, to increase it, rejected the advice of these elder statesmen. This is not the only time on record when youth assumed to know better than older, more experienced men. Often older people are too cautious, too conservative, while youth is sometimes too anxious to get ahead. So, happily, in most cases, the two working together find a happy medium.

However, it failed to work out so with Rehoboam. He next consulted those of his own age, probably special friends, and perhaps attaches of the government under Solomon. They urged him to assert his authority by increasing the burden of taxes, and to oppress the people even more than did his father. This was, indeed, extreme advice, but Rehoboam chose to accept it.

When the people returned the third day, Rehoboam told them his decision, and in a manner that was not at all friendly. “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”—vs. 14

The people rebelled against this threatened treatment, and ten of the tribes followed the leadership of Jeroboam and established a separate kingdom, thereafter known as the Northern Kingdom, and often the Kingdom of Israel; the two tribes which followed Rehoboam being known as the Southern Kingdom, or the Kingdom of Judah.

Because the record says “the cause was of God, that the Lord might perform his word, which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah,” some expositors hold that all the promises of God to the nations, beginning even with Abraham, are, and continue to be, fulfilled through the ten tribes. They overlook the fact that this promise through Ahijah was conditional upon Jeroboam remaining faithful to the Lord, which he did not. At the very outset of his reign he introduced idol worship. His successors walked in his steps of unfaithfulness, and the kingdom finally went into captivity in Assyria.

Nor did all the ten tribes follow Jeroboam. Those of the ten tribes who dwelt in the cities of Judah accepted Rehoboam’s rulership; so in a limited way he really ruled over all twelve tribes. God’s favor remained with Solomon’s line, according to the sure promise made to David.—I Kings 11:34,36

Our Golden Text emphasizes the importance, when a servant of the Lord is in need of wisdom, to seek it through prayer. There is no evidence that Rehoboam did this. He seemed determined to have his own way, and took the advice of those who agreed with him. But even this the Lord overruled.

QUESTIONS

Who was Rehoboam, and under what circumstances did he come to the throne of Israel?

Who was Jeroboam, and what was the grievance of the ten tribes of Israel against Rehoboam that caused them to break away from him under Jeroboam’s leadership?

Did God’s favor continue with Jeroboam, and with the ten tribes under his leadership?

How do we know that the royal promises of God did not depart from the line of David?

To whom should every servant of the Lord go when in need of true wisdom?

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