1-Kings: Ch. Eleven. Division Pre-Ordained, Jeroboam is Chosen

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The First Book of Kings
Chapter Eleven
The Foreign Women of Solomon. Division Pre-Ordained, Jeroboam is Chosen

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1-Kings 11
[1-Kings 11:1] BUT KING SOLOMON LOVED MANY STRANGE WOMEN, TOGETHER WITH THE DAUGHTER OF PHARAOH, WOMEN OF THE MOABITES, AMMONITES, EDOMITES, ZIDONIANS, AND HITTITES:
Many explain the foreign marriages of Solomon as expressions of his diplomatic activities. This was an undoubtedly so but the Bible comes to tell as that he also "loved" them. The daughter of Pharoah is mentioned separately and the Sages say this comes to tell us that his love for her was equal to that he had for all the others.
In marrying so many women Solomon transgressed an express commandment in the Bible against the King taking many women. NEITHER SHALL HE MULTIPLY WIVES TO HIMSELF, THAT HIS HEART TURN NOT AWAY [Deuteronomy 17:17]. The King according to tradition was to be allowed up to 18 wives. Beyond that it was a transgression.
This is one of the few commandments for which an express reason is given. Solomon was the wisest of all men. He relied on his wisdom and considered himself above the limitations of ordinary mortals. Solomon (say the Commentators) thought he could marry these women and not be affected by them but rather elevate them and through them the peoples they came from. He was mistaken.
WOMEN OF THE MOABITES, AMMONITES. The Bible says that Moab and Ammon were not to be accepted as converts (Deuteronomy 23:3). This commandment however applies ONLY to the males and not the females.
See:
Loyalty to David is Required:
Ruth and the Oral Tradition
http://britam.org/DavidandOralLaw.html

We point out in this article that the females (but not the males) from Ammon and Moab are to be accepted. This is Oral Tradition affirmed by the authority of the Sages. Whoever rejects this authority denies the legitimacy of David and Solomon and the future Messiah.
Since the commandment against Ammon and Moab ONLY applied to the males Ruth the Moabitess was able to be accepted as an Israelitess and became an ancestress of David and Solomon.
In addition there was NAAMAH AN AMMONITESS (1-Kings 14:21) who became the mother of Rehoboam the son of Solomon. The Bible says that Rehoboam was forty-one when he began to reign. Solomon reigned for forty years. The Commentary "Daat Mikra" points out that Rehoboam was therefore born one year before Solomon became king. Solomon had married her while his father David was still alive. The future Messiah will be a descendant of David through Solomon and most likely also through Rehoboam. The Messiah will therefore on the maternal side be descended from both Ammon and Moab.
EDOMITES. Were to be accepted after three generations (Deuteronomt 23:9). It could be that at that time there already existed in the Land communities of Edomite converts who had been there for at least two generations. Or maybe not. These could also be counted with the foreign women Solomon transgressed in marrying.

[1-Kings 11:2] OF THE NATIONS CONCERNING WHICH THE LORD SAID UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, YE SHALL NOT GO IN TO THEM, NEITHER SHALL THEY COME IN UNTO YOU: FOR SURELY THEY WILL TURN AWAY YOUR HEART AFTER THEIR GODS: SOLOMON CLAVE UNTO THESE IN LOVE.
The Children of Israel were forbidden to intermarry with any of the Seven Canaanite nations who dwelt in the Land when it was being conquered (Deuteronomy 7:1-3): THE HITTITES, AND THE GIRGASHITES, AND THE AMORITES, AND THE CANAANITES, AND THE PERIZZITES, AND THE HIVITES, AND THE JEBUSITES, SEVEN NATIONS GREATER AND MIGHTIER THAN THOU NEITHER SHALT THOU MAKE MARRIAGES WITH THEM; THY DAUGHTER THOU SHALT NOT GIVE UNTO HIS SON, NOR HIS DAUGHTER SHALT THOU TAKE UNTO THY SON.
See also Exodus 34:11, 16.
Marriage with all foreign peoples was forbidden.   There is a controversy as to whether marriage with non-Israelite peoples apart from the seven nations was forbidden according to Scripture or by decree of the Sages in Biblical Times with the authority given to them (Deuteronomy ch.17). At all events the prohibition on the seven nations was especially stringent. Even in this case however IF THEY CONVERTED THEY COULD BE ACCEPTED.
It stands to reason that Solomon would have converted the women before marrying them. These conversions were insincere. The women remained pagans as shown below and therefore their conversions may have been invalid.   The Bible relates to them in this case as forbidden marriages.

[1-Kings 11:3] AND HE HAD SEVEN HUNDRED WIVES, PRINCESSES, AND THREE HUNDRED CONCUBINES: AND HIS WIVES TURNED AWAY HIS HEART.

[1-Kings 11:4] FOR IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN SOLOMON WAS OLD, THAT HIS WIVES TURNED AWAY HIS HEART AFTER OTHER GODS: AND HIS HEART WAS NOT PERFECT WITH THE LORD HIS GOD, AS WAS THE HEART OF DAVID HIS FATHER.

[1-Kings 11:5] FOR SOLOMON WENT AFTER ASHTORETH THE GODDESS OF THE ZIDONIANS, AND AFTER MILCOM THE ABOMINATION OF THE AMMONITES.
#ASHTORETH. The Venerable Bede writes that the Anglo-Saxons when they were still pagans worshipped a goddess named Aeistoreith i.e. ASHTORETH.

[1-Kings 11:6] AND SOLOMON DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND WENT NOT FULLY AFTER THE LORD, AS DID DAVID HIS FATHER.

[1-Kings 11:7] THEN DID SOLOMON BUILD AN HIGH PLACE FOR CHEMOSH, THE ABOMINATION OF MOAB, IN THE HILL THAT IS BEFORE JERUSALEM, AND FOR MOLECH, THE ABOMINATION OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON.

[1-Kings 11:8] AND LIKEWISE DID HE FOR ALL HIS STRANGE WIVES, WHICH BURNT INCENSE AND SACRIFICED UNTO THEIR GODS.

[1-Kings 11:9] AND THE LORD WAS ANGRY WITH SOLOMON, BECAUSE HIS HEART WAS TURNED FROM THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, WHICH HAD APPEARED UNTO HIM TWICE,

[1-Kings 11:10] AND HAD COMMANDED HIM CONCERNING THIS THING, THAT HE SHOULD NOT GO AFTER OTHER GODS: BUT HE KEPT NOT THAT WHICH THE LORD COMMANDED.
There is an opinion that Solomon himself did not actually worship foreign gods but rather set up means of worship to them for the sake of his wives and the Bible considers this as if he had done it for himself.

[1-Kings 11:11] WHEREFORE THE LORD SAID UNTO SOLOMON, FORASMUCH AS THIS IS DONE OF THEE, AND THOU HAST NOT KEPT MY COVENANT AND MY STATUTES, WHICH I HAVE COMMANDED THEE, I WILL SURELY REND THE KINGDOM FROM THEE, AND WILL GIVE IT TO THY   SERVANT.
Here is foretold the future division of the Ten Tribes from the House of David and from Judah. There was a Divine Purpose in all this beyond mere retribution for the offence of Solomon.
We have spoken of this in our works:
Joseph - The Israelite Destiny of America
http://britam.org/bkjoseph.html

"Role to Rule. The Task of Joseph"
http://www.britam.org/Role.html

See also:
The Divine Purpose for the Exile and Division of the Tribes
http://britam.org/tape3.html

THE PURPOSE OF THE EXILE
http://www.britam.org/Broadcasts/Joseph1.mp3
(ca. 1 hour 2 minutes)

[1-Kings 11:12] NOTWITHSTANDING IN THY DAYS I WILL NOT DO IT FOR DAVID THY FATHER'S SAKE: BUT I WILL REND IT OUT OF THE HAND OF THY SON.
The Kingdom would not be rent in two in the time of Solomon but during the reign of his son Rehoboam who would come after him.

For background as to why the Ten Tribes were to be exiled see our article:

The Divine Purpose for the Exile and Division of the Tribes
http://britam.org/tape3.html
We know that descendants of the Lost Ten Tribes are now to be found amongst Western Peoples. We also know that originally they had been part of the Kingdom of Israel that broke away from Judah, were exiled, and lost consciousness of their national ancestry.
Why however were they exiled in the first place?
We are asking, Not How?
but rather Why?
Was there a Divine Purpose behind this?
What cause was served by them forgetting who they were and where they had come from?
Analyzing Biblical Texts and an article by Rabbi Abraham Kook we attempt to clarify some of the issues raised by these questions.
http://britam.org/tape3.html

To Hear a Talk based on the Text:
THE PURPOSE OF THE EXILE
http://www.britam.org/Broadcasts/Joseph1.mp3
(ca. 1 hour 2 minutes)

[1-Kings 11:13] HOWBEIT I WILL NOT REND AWAY ALL THE KINGDOM; BUT WILL GIVE ONE TRIBE TO THY SON FOR DAVID MY SERVANT'S SAKE, AND FOR JERUSALEM'S SAKE WHICH I HAVE CHOSEN.
Here it says that the House of David would receive one tribe.
We later find that both Judah and Benjamin remained faithful to the House of David.
"Daat Mikra" (1-Kings 12:21 note 28) says that only part of Benjamin (the Beth-el sub-province) remained faithful. That may be so but for Scriptural Purposes the Tribe of Benjamin is generally related to as part of Judah and not of "Ephraim".
The Radak and others say that Benjamin and Judah were in effect already then one tribe since they were unified in the possession of Jerusalem which was the capital city of all Isssrael.
Another opinion is that the ONE TRIBE that would be given to them means one tribe in addition to Judah. This would apply to Benjamin.
We later find that all or at least more of the Tribe of Levi also joined Judah along with representative smaller segments of the other Tribes. The present-day Jews include descendants of all the Tribes but Judah is prominent and sets the tone. In Biblical Terms they are referred to as Judah.

FOR DAVID MY SERVANT'S SAKE. Ralbag (Gersonides 1288-1344, France): ##This tells us that Divine Providence over the father extends to his son, as it says FOR THE SAKE OF DAVID MY SERVANT. Solomon was watched over [for the sake of David] so that the Kingdom would not be rent in his lifetime and for the sake of David HIS servant [the Almighty] watched over the offspring of Solomon so that the monarchy should not depart from them altogether. Benjamin and Judah are referred to as ONE TRIBE because their Tribal Inheritances were together. ##

We see from the case of David and Solomon (in light of the Commentary of Gersonides) that we should live good lives not only for our own sakes but also for that of others. For whatever good we do the Almighty will repay us a thousandfold in the manner we would want were we to know the options.
Cf.
KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD THY GOD, HE IS GOD, THE FAITHFUL GOD, WHICH KEEPETH COVENANT AND MERCY WITH THEM THAT LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS [Deuteronomy 7:9].

[1-Kings 11:14] AND THE LORD STIRRED UP AN ADVERSARY UNTO SOLOMON, HADAD THE EDOMITE: HE WAS OF THE KING'S SEED IN EDOM.

[1-Kings 11:15] FOR IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN DAVID WAS IN EDOM, AND JOAB THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOST WAS GONE UP TO BURY THE SLAIN, AFTER HE HAD SMITTEN EVERY MALE IN EDOM;

[1-Kings 11:16] (FOR SIX MONTHS DID JOAB REMAIN THERE WITH ALL ISRAEL, UNTIL HE HAD CUT OFF EVERY MALE IN EDOM:)

[1-Kings 11:17] THAT HADAD FLED, HE AND CERTAIN EDOMITES OF HIS FATHER'S SERVANTS WITH HIM, TO GO INTO EGYPT; HADAD BEING YET A LITTLE CHILD.

[1-Kings 11:18] AND THEY AROSE OUT OF MIDIAN, AND CAME TO PARAN: AND THEY TOOK MEN WITH THEM OUT OF PARAN, AND THEY CAME TO EGYPT, UNTO PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT; WHICH GAVE HIM AN HOUSE, AND APPOINTED HIM VICTUALS, AND GAVE HIM LAND.

[1-Kings 11:19] AND HADAD FOUND GREAT FAVOUR IN THE SIGHT OF PHARAOH, SO THAT HE GAVE HIM TO WIFE THE SISTER OF HIS OWN WIFE, THE SISTER OF TAHPENES THE QUEEN.
This Pharoah was related to Solomon by marriage. He may have been his father-in-law or the brother of his wife. Nevertheless he betrayed Solomon by giving refuge to the adversary of Israel and showing him favor.
This often happens when we try and compromise. We say to ourselves that we will be a little bit lenient with ourselves, transgress a little, perhaps release a little tension for constructive purposes and let it end there. The problem is that it often does not end. The evil deed takes on a life of its own. Instead of us controlling it it takes us over.

[1-Kings 11:20] AND THE SISTER OF TAHPENES BARE HIM GENUBATH HIS SON, WHOM   TAHPENES WEANED IN PHARAOH'S HOUSE: AND GENUBATH WAS IN PHARAOH'S HOUSEHOLD AMONG THE SONS OF PHARAOH.

[1-Kings 11:21] AND WHEN HADAD HEARD IN EGYPT THAT DAVID SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND THAT JOAB THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOST WAS DEAD, HADAD SAID TO PHARAOH, LET ME DEPART, THAT I MAY GO TO MINE OWN COUNTRY.

[1-Kings 11:22] THEN PHARAOH SAID UNTO HIM, BUT WHAT HAST THOU LACKED WITH ME, THAT, BEHOLD, THOU SEEKEST TO GO TO THINE OWN COUNTRY? AND HE ANSWERED, NOTHING: HOWBEIT LET ME GO IN ANY WISE.

[1-Kings 11:23] AND GOD STIRRED HIM UP ANOTHER ADVERSARY, REZON THE SON OF ELIADAH, WHICH FLED FROM HIS LORD HADADEZER KING OF ZOBAH:

[1-Kings 11:24] AND HE GATHERED MEN UNTO HIM, AND BECAME CAPTAIN OVER A BAND, WHEN DAVID SLEW THEM OF ZOBAH: AND THEY WENT TO DAMASCUS, AND DWELT THEREIN, AND REIGNED IN DAMASCUS.
Damascus of the Bible sometimes means a city on the site of present-day Damascus and at other times another area further to the north.
See:
#3. The NORTHERN BORDERS of Biblical Israel
http://britam.org/now/now402.html

[1-Kings 11:25] AND HE WAS AN ADVERSARY TO ISRAEL ALL THE DAYS OF SOLOMON, BESIDE THE MISCHIEF THAT HADAD DID: AND HE ABHORRED ISRAEL, AND REIGNED OVER SYRIA.
SYRIA in Hebrew is Aram which can mean present-day Syria but also included areas further north.

[1-Kings 11:26] AND JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT, AN EPHRATHITE OF ZEREDA, SOLOMON'S SERVANT, WHOSE MOTHER'S NAME WAS ZERUAH, A WIDOW WOMAN, EVEN HE LIFTED UP HIS HAND AGAINST THE KING.
#JEROBOAM. In Hebrew "Yerevam" which probably originally meant "Yerbeh-Am" i.e. May the People ("Am") Increase". Later the name would have acquired the secondary meaning "Creat a Quarrel ["Yerev"] amongst the People". Here we have the case where the name of a person reflects his future. Presumably it could have gone either way. He had the potential to increase the glory and greatness of the people or of causing a quarrel amongst them. He was to choose the second path and so his name took on the second connotation.
#EPHRATHITE. In Modern Hebrew "Ephrati" i.e. from Ephraim.
It also means "aristocrat", "important person".
David had been referred to as THE SON OF THAT EPHRATHITE OF BETHLEHEM-JUDAH, WHOSE NAME WAS JESSE [1-Samuel 17:12] . In the case of David "Ephrati" meant either "important person" or inhabitant of the region of Ephrat which encompassed Bethlehem. In the case of Jeroboam it meant someone from "Ephraim". Nevertheless the same word is used in both cases. The Midrash points to the poetic justice of David being associated with the term "Ephrati" when he was about to receive the anointment as King when he was worthy and when his descendant was unworthy the opponent of the House of David also being referred to as Ephrati. Such parallelisms etc are found throughout the Bible but usually we overlook them.

AN EPHRATHITE OF ZEREDA, SOLOMON'S SERVANT. One Modern Commentator (Koren) suggested that the father of Jeroboam was a non-Israelite servant of Solomon.
Our impression is that he was an Israelite from the Tribe of Ephraim. Rabbinival Commentaries also support this opinion though one source (Sanhedrin 101:2) identifies his ancestor as SHEBA, THE SON OF BICHRI, A BENJAMITE (2-Samuel 20:1) who had lead a revolt against David towards the end of his life and had been put to death (2-Samuel 20:22). At the symbolic level we have in the person of Jeroboam a continuation of the struggle for leadership between the descendants of Rachel (represented by King Saul from Benjamin) and those of Leah represented by the House of David from Judah.
The Modern expression "Ephraimite" has not equivalent in Hebrew apart from "Ephrati".
The Sages said that Jeroboam himself was a great scholar, perhaps the greatest in his generation, but extremely proud.

[1-Kings 11:27] AND THIS WAS THE CAUSE THAT HE LIFTED UP HIS HAND AGAINST THE KING: SOLOMON BUILT MILLO, AND REPAIRED THE BREACHES OF THE CITY OF DAVID HIS FATHER.

[1-Kings 11:28] AND THE MAN JEROBOAM WAS A MIGHTY MAN OF VALOUR: AND SOLOMON SEEING THE YOUNG MAN THAT HE WAS INDUSTRIOUS, HE MADE HIM RULER OVER ALL THE CHARGE OF THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH.
King Solomon towards the end of his reign had began to worship other gods or had tolerated the worship of other gods by his foreign wives and their attendants. Solomon had also built a palace and neighborhood in Jerusalem and other considerations elsewhere for his wife the daughter of Pharoah king of Egypt. Solomon had used a levy (semi-forced conscription) from the Tribe of Ephraim for these works. Solomon had received as a dowry the city of Gezer from the King of Egypt. Gezer was not in the south but in the north in the region of Ephraim. It was an enclave of Canaanites in the Land of Ephraim who in the past had been conquered by Ephraim but later had asserted their independence. Pharaoh conquered Gezer and handed it over to Solomon. Solomon apparently had been justified in using people from Ephraim to rebuild Gezer since Gezer was to be used to populate Ephraimites.
It has been suggested that Solomon however had then "extended" the usage of his "Ephraimite" levy into further works connected with Gezer on behalf of the daughter of Pharoah as if it was to be owned by her or she had rights in the region. Solomon (goes this suggestion) had taken Jeroboam and his Ephraimite workmen after they had completed the rebuilding of Gezer and had employed them in constructing the "Millo" which was an artificial extension of Jerusalem. Jeroboam the son of Nebat had been appointed over the workmen from Ephraim who felt misused. It was then that Ahijah met up with Jeroboam.

[1-Kings 11:29] AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THAT TIME WHEN JEROBOAM WENT OUT OF JERUSALEM, THAT THE PROPHET AHIJAH THE SHILONITE FOUND HIM IN THE WAY; AND HE HAD CLAD HIMSELF WITH A NEW GARMENT; AND THEY TWO WERE ALONE IN THE FIELD:

[1-Kings 11:30] AND AHIJAH CAUGHT THE NEW GARMENT THAT WAS ON HIM, AND RENT IT IN TWELVE PIECES:

[1-Kings 11:31] AND HE SAID TO JEROBOAM, TAKE THEE TEN PIECES: FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, BEHOLD, I WILL REND THE KINGDOM OUT OF THE HAND OF SOLOMON, AND WILL GIVE TEN TRIBES TO THEE:
Here we have the mention of Ten Tribes destined to split apart from the southern Kingdom of Judah.

[1-Kings 11:32] (BUT HE SHALL HAVE ONE TRIBE FOR MY SERVANT DAVID'S SAKE, AND FOR JERUSALEM'S SAKE, THE CITY WHICH I HAVE CHOSEN OUT OF ALL THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL:)

[1-Kings 11:33] BECAUSE THAT THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME, AND HAVE WORSHIPPED ASHTORETH THE GODDESS OF THE ZIDONIANS, CHEMOSH THE GOD OF THE MOABITES, AND MILCOM THE GOD OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON, AND HAVE NOT WALKED IN MY WAYS, TO DO THAT WHICH IS RIGHT IN MINE EYES, AND TO KEEP MY STATUTES AND MY JUDGMENTS, AS DID DAVID HIS FATHER.

[1-Kings 11:34] HOWBEIT I WILL NOT TAKE THE WHOLE KINGDOM OUT OF HIS HAND: BUT I WILL MAKE HIM PRINCE ALL THE DAYS OF HIS LIFE FOR DAVID MY SERVANT'S SAKE, WHOM I CHOSE, BECAUSE HE KEPT MY COMMANDMENTS AND MY STATUTES:

[1-Kings 11:35] BUT I WILL TAKE THE KINGDOM OUT OF HIS SON'S HAND, AND WILL GIVE IT UNTO THEE, EVEN TEN TRIBES.

[1-Kings 11:36] AND UNTO HIS SON WILL I GIVE ONE TRIBE, THAT DAVID MY SERVANT MAY   HAVE A LIGHT ALWAY BEFORE ME IN JERUSALEM, THE CITY WHICH I HAVE CHOSEN ME TO PUT   MY NAME THERE.

[1-Kings 11:37] AND I WILL TAKE THEE, AND THOU SHALT REIGN ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THY SOUL   DESIRETH, AND SHALT BE KING OVER ISRAEL.

[1-Kings 11:38] AND IT SHALL BE, IF THOU WILT HEARKEN UNTO ALL THAT I COMMAND THEE, AND WILT WALK IN MY WAYS, AND DO THAT IS RIGHT IN MY SIGHT, TO KEEP MY STATUTES AND MY COMMANDMENTS, AS DAVID MY SERVANT DID; THAT I WILL BE WITH THEE, AND BUILD THEE A SURE HOUSE, AS I BUILT FOR DAVID, AND WILL GIVE ISRAEL UNTO THEE.

[1-Kings 11:39] AND I WILL FOR THIS AFFLICT THE SEED OF DAVID, BUT NOT FOR EVER.
Jeroboam according to one source was the descendant of Joshuah son of Nun who succeeded Moses and lead the Israelites in the conquest of the Land of Canaan. Jeroboam is also said to have been the ancestor of the Messiah son of Joseph who in the End Times will lead the Ten tribes back and prepare the way for their reconciliation and re-union with Judah. The Messiah son of Joseph will repair the breach between Judah and Josph that Jeroboam helped bring about.

[1-Kings 11:40] SOLOMON SOUGHT THEREFORE TO KILL JEROBOAM. AND JEROBOAM AROSE, AND FLED INTO EGYPT, UNTO SHISHAK KING OF EGYPT, AND WAS IN EGYPT UNTIL THE DEATH OF SOLOMON.
After Ahijah the Prophet met up with Jeroboam, Jeroboam lead a revolt of the workmen rebelled, the rebellion was put down and Jeroboam fled to Egypt. Later, when Solomon died Jeroboam came back and was appointed as a spokesman for Ephraim and for all Israel in a delegation to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. The delegation requested that Rehoboam agree to be less oppressive that Solomon towards the end of his life had been. Rehoboam refused and so the northern Ten Tribes rebelled and set up their own kingdom with Jeroboam at its head. A few centuries later this independent kingdom of "Israel" was conquered and all its people exiled. Their identity was lost and they became the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel.

[1-Kings 11:41] AND THE REST OF THE ACTS OF SOLOMON, AND ALL THAT HE DID, AND HIS WISDOM, ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE ACTS OF SOLOMON?

[1-Kings 11:42] AND THE TIME THAT SOLOMON REIGNED IN JERUSALEM OVER ALL ISRAEL WAS FORTY YEARS.

[1-Kings 11:43] AND SOLOMON SLEPT WITH HIS FATHERS, AND WAS BURIED IN THE CITY OF DAVID HIS FATHER: AND REHOBOAM HIS SON REIGNED IN HIS STEAD.

#REHOBOAM. The name Rehoboam is "Rachav-am" in Hebrew and means "[God will cause] the People will be expanded". It could also conceivably be extended to mean "The People will be spread out". The mother of Rehoboam was Naama the Ammonitess. Solomon had married Naama in the lifetime of King David.

After the Death of Solomon:
The Divided Kingdom

Source of Map:
www.ebibleteacher.com/imagehtml/otmaps.html

1-Kings ch.10 1-Kings ch.12