Difference between revisions of "Rehoboam"

<p> Solomon's son by the [[Ammonite]] [[Naamah]] (&nbsp;1 Kings 14:21; &nbsp;1 Kings 14:13; &nbsp;1 Kings 11:43; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 12:13). Succeeded his father in his 41st year. In &nbsp;2 Chronicles 13:7 "young and tender hearted" means inexperienced ''(For He Was Not Young In Years Then)'' and faint-hearted, not energetic in making a stand against those who insolently rose against him. In his reign Ephraim's gathering jealousy of a rival (&nbsp;Judges 8:1; &nbsp;Judges 12:1) came to a crisis, the steps to which were the severance of [[Israel]] under [[Ishbosheth]] (2 Samuel 2) from Judah under David; the removal of the political capital from Shechem, and the seat of national worship from [[Shiloh]] to Jerusalem; and finally Solomon's heavy taxation for great national and monarchical buildings, and Rehoboam's injudicious reply to the petition for lightening the burden. The maschil (Psalm 78) of [[Asaph]] is a warning to [[Ephraim]] not to incur a fresh judgment by rebelling against God's appointment which transferred Ephraim's prerogative, for its sins, to Judah; he delicately avoids wounding Ephraim's sensitiveness by not naming revolt as likely (compare &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:2). </p> <p> He leaves the application to themselves. [[Rehoboam]] selected [[Shechem]] as his place of coronation, probably to conciliate Ephraim. But Ephraim's reason for desiring Shechem for the place of coronation was their intention to rebel; so they made Jeroboam the spokesman of their complaints. (See [[Jeroboam]] .) It would have saved Rehoboam the loss of the majority of his kingdom, had he heeded his father's wise old counselors (&nbsp;Proverbs 27:10), and shown the same conciliatory spirit in reply to Israel's embassy; but he forgot his father's proverb (&nbsp;Proverbs 15:1). In the three days' interval between their mission and his reply he preferred the counsel of the inexperienced young men, his compeers, who had been reared in the time of Solomon's degeneracy, "my father chastised you with whips, I will chastise you with scorpions," i.e. scourges armed with sharp points. [[Solomon]] in &nbsp;Ecclesiastes 2:19 expresses his misgiving as to Rehoboam, "who knoweth whether the man after me shall be a wise man or a fool?" His folly was overruled by [[Jehovah]] to perform His prophecy by Ahijar unto Jeroboam. (See [[Ahijar; Jeroboam]] ) </p> <p> With the same watchword of revolt as under [[Sheba]] (&nbsp;2 Samuel 19:43; &nbsp;2 Samuel 20:1), Israel forsook Rehoboam (&nbsp;1 Kings 12:16), "what portion have we in David? To your tents, [[O]] Israel." They then stoned Adoram who was over the tribute, Rehoboam retained, besides Judah, Levi, Simeon, Dan, and parts of Benjamin. (See [[Adoram]] ; ISRAEL.) Rehoboam with 180,000 sought to regain Israel; but Jehovah by [[Shemaiah]] forbade it (&nbsp;1 Kings 12:21-24). Still a state of war between the two kingdoms lasted all his reign (&nbsp;1 Kings 14:30). Rehoboam built fortresses round on the S. side of Jerusalem, apprehending most danger from the quarter of Egypt (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 11:1; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 11:12-13; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 11:16-17). Moreover, the calf worship in northern Israel drove the [[Levites]] and many pious [[Israelites]] to the southern kingdom where Jehovah's pure worship was maintained. </p> <p> Thus, Rehoboam became strengthened in his kingdom, but after three years' faithfulness and consequent prosperity from God the tendency to apostasy inherited from his mother Naamah the Ammonitess, and her bad early training, led him to connive at, and like Solomon join in, the abominations of idolatry, the "high places, standing images, and groves on every high hill and under every green tree" (&nbsp;1 Kings 14:22-24). Rehoboam "forsook the law of Jehovah, and all Israel with him." So God sent Shishak, Jeroboam's ally, with 1,200 chariots and 60,000 horsemen, to punish him, in the fifth year of his reign (&nbsp;1 Kings 11:40; &nbsp;1 Kings 14:25-28; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 12:2-4, etc.). (See [[Jeroboam]] .) Shemaiah explained the cause from Jehovah; "ye have forsaken Me, therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak" ''(Shishak Was First Of The 22Nd Or Bubastite Dynasty; [[Whereas]] His Predecessor, The [[Pharaoh]] Whose Daughter Solomon Married, Was The Last Of The 22Nd Or Tanite Dynasty)'' . Rehoboam and the princes thereupon humbly accepted their punishment, and justified Jehovah (&nbsp;James 4:10; &nbsp;Exodus 9:27; &nbsp;Psalms 51:4; &nbsp;Leviticus 26:41-42). </p> <p> Therefore, the Lord "granted them some deliverance," at the same time that He gave them up to Shishak's service, who took the Jews' fenced cities and came to Jerusalem, that they might know to their sorrow its contrast to "His service" (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 28:47-48; &nbsp;Isaiah 47:13; &nbsp;1 John 5:3; &nbsp;Hosea 2:7). So [[Shishak]] took away the temple and the palace treasures, and the golden shields ''(200 Larger And 300 Smaller, '' &nbsp;1 Kings 10:16-17 '')'' , for which Rehoboam substituted brazen shields, to be borne by the bodyguard before him in state processions, characteristic of his vanity which comforted itself with a sham after losing the reality; but the Lord did not let Shishak destroy Rehoboam altogether, for He saw, amidst abounding evil, with His tender compassion, some "good things in Judah." </p> <p> Shishak's success against the kingdom of Judah ( '''''Malchi Judah''''' ) is found commemorated outside of the Karnak temple, the very features of the [[Jews]] being characteristically represented. Rehoboam reigned for 17 years; his acts were recorded in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of [[Iddo]] the seer concerning genealogies. His doing evil is traced to his "not preparing ''(Fixing)'' his heart to seek Jehovah." His polygamy ''("Desiring Many Wives," '' &nbsp;2 Chronicles 11:23 '')'' is another blot on his character. Besides [[Mahalath]] and Maacbah, granddaughters of David, and [[Abihail]] descended from Jesse, he had 18 wives and 60 concubines; his sons, with worldly wisdom, he dispersed through the fenced cities as their governors, and made Abijah, son of his favorite wife Maachah, his successor on the throne. </p>

<p> Son of Solomon and Naamah an Ammonitess: he succeeded his father. On the tribes seeking relief from some of the burdens laid upon them by Solomon, Rehoboam unwisely turned from the counsellors of his father, and followed the advice of his young companions. He proudly boasted that he would augment their burdens and treat them with increased rigour. The ten tribes then revolted from Rehoboam and chose Jeroboam as their king. This had been prophesied of, and the folly of Rehoboam brought it thus to pass. He raised an army to punish the rebels, but was forbidden by the prophet Shemaiah to fight against them, and he had to hear that the separation of the ten tribes was of God. It was because of the sin of Solomon. Though a civil war was at that time averted, there were continual conflicts between the two nations, as they must now be called. </p> <p> The outward worship of Jehovah was maintained in Judah, but Rehoboam did not check the introduction of heathen abominations into the land, and the wickedness of the people became very great. Shemaiah rebuked them, and said the Lord would deliver them into the hand of Shishak, king of Egypt. The king and the princes humbled themselves, and God granted them some deliverance; nevertheless they were made tributary to the king of Egypt. Shishak took away the treasures of the temple and of the king's house, and the shields of gold that Solomon had made. Rehoboam replaced the latter with shields of brass. Thus the glory of Solomon soon passed away! Rehoboam reigned over Judah and Benjamin, under the title of [[Judah]] seventeen years, from B.C. 975 to 958. &nbsp;1 Kings 11:43; &nbsp;1 Kings 12:1-27; &nbsp;1 Kings 14:21-31; &nbsp;1 Kings 15:6; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 10:1-18; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 11:1-22; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 12:1-16; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 13:7 . He is called [[Roboam]] in &nbsp;Matthew 1:7 . </p>

<p> [[Rehoboam]] ( ''Rç-Ho-Bô'Am'' ), ''Enlarges The People.'' The son and successor of Solomon. He reigned 17 years, b.c. 975-958. His insolent conduct hastened the political crisis which resulted in the division of the [[Hebrew]] kingdom into the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel. &nbsp;1 Kings 12:21-24; &nbsp;1 Kings 14:21; &nbsp;1 Kings 14:31; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 10:1-14. Within five years of Rehoboam's accession to the throne, the kingdom of Judah was invaded by Shishak, king of Egypt, who desolated the country, and made it tributary to Egypt, and Shishak's victory is noted in the great temple at Karnak. </p>