Lexical Summary Rechabam: Rehoboam Original Word: רְחַבְעָם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Rehoboam From rachab and am; a people has enlarged; Rechabam, an Israelite king -- Rehoboam. see HEBREW rachab see HEBREW am NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rachab and am Definition "a people are enlarged," a king of Judah NASB Translation Rehoboam (48), Rehoboam's (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs רְחַבְעָם49 proper name, masculine Rehoboam (word-play on רחב Ecclus 47:23c); — king of Judah, son of Solomon; Ροβοαμ: 1 Kings 11:43; 1 Kings 12:1,3,6 16t. 1 Kings 12; 1 Kings 14, + 1 Kings 15:6 "" 2 Chronicles 9:31; 10:1,3,6 21t. 2 Chronicles 10; 11; 12, + 2 Chronicles 13:7 (twice in verse); also 1 Chronicles 3:10. Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Distribution Roughly fifty verses record the name Rehoboam, concentrated in 1 Kings 11–14 and 2 Chronicles 9–13, with additional notices in genealogical lists (1 Chronicles 3:10; 2 Chronicles 11:18–22) and the prophetic summary of the kings (2 Chronicles 12:13–16). Every mention is tied to the Davidic line, the divided kingdom, or covenant evaluation. Historical Setting Rehoboam was the only son of Solomon specifically named as successor (1 Kings 11:43). His forty-one years as king of Judah (circa 931–913 B.C.) opened Israel’s divided-kingdom era. Solomon’s prosperity had created both blessing and burden; Rehoboam inherited a heavy tax system, forced labor, and simmering northern discontent. Coronation and Division Shechem (1 Kings 12:1) became the assembly site for Israel to confirm the new monarch. The northern tribes petitioned relief. Rejecting the elders’ counsel (1 Kings 12:6–8), Rehoboam boasted, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist” (1 Kings 12:10). The harsh reply energized Jeroboam’s revolt, fulfilling the word the LORD had spoken through Ahijah (1 Kings 11:29–33). The split left Rehoboam reigning only over Judah and Benjamin (1 Kings 12:20). Initial Response and Divine Restraint Rehoboam mustered 180,000 warriors to force reunification (1 Kings 12:21). Through the prophet Shemaiah, God overruled: “You must not fight… for this is My doing” (1 Kings 12:24). Rehoboam obeyed, illustrating that submission to prophetic word can curb further judgment. Religious Policy Although Judah retained the temple, 2 Chronicles 11:13–17 shows priests and Levites migrating south because Jeroboam institutionalized idolatry. For three years Judean worship remained faithful: “They walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years” (2 Chronicles 11:17). Afterward Rehoboam “abandoned the law of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:1), erecting high places and Asherah poles (1 Kings 14:23–24). Egyptian Invasion and Humbling In Rehoboam’s fifth year, Pharaoh Shishak invaded with an immense coalition (2 Chronicles 12:2–3). The prophet Shemaiah confronted the king’s officials: “You have abandoned Me; therefore I now abandon you to Shishak” (2 Chronicles 12:5). The leaders humbled themselves, and the LORD granted a measured deliverance—Jerusalem was spared, but the temple treasures and Solomon’s golden shields were seized (2 Chronicles 12:7–9). Rehoboam replaced them with bronze, a visual reminder of diminished glory. Fortification Program Post-invasion, Rehoboam strengthened strategic cities—Bethlehem, Hebron, Lachish, Azekah, and others (2 Chronicles 11:5–12). This defensive policy underscores the vulnerability that follows spiritual compromise: physical walls cannot substitute for divine favor. Domestic Affairs Rehoboam’s polygamy mirrored his father’s pattern. He married eighteen wives and possessed sixty concubines, fathering twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters (2 Chronicles 11:21). He designated Abijah son of Maacah as crown prince (2 Chronicles 11:22), sowing seeds for later dynastic intrigue. Prophetic Record The acts of Rehoboam were chronicled by Shemaiah the prophet and Iddo the seer (2 Chronicles 12:15), indicating that God’s revelation continued to evaluate royal conduct, reinforcing covenant accountability. Death and Succession Rehoboam died and “rested with his fathers” (2 Chronicles 12:16); Abijah succeeded him. Though buried in the City of David, his reign is summarized with the negative verdict, “He did evil, because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:14). Theological Significance 1. Covenant Continuity: Despite Rehoboam’s failures, the Davidic dynasty endured, preserving the messianic line. Lessons for Faith and Practice • Seek wise counsel rooted in godly experience. Christological Connection Matthew’s genealogy (Matthew 1:7) traces Jesus’ legal lineage through Rehoboam, testifying that God’s redemptive plan weaves through flawed individuals, ultimately culminating in the perfect King who restores unity and righteousness forever. Forms and Transliterations וּרְחַבְעָ֗ם וּרְחַבְעָם֙ ורחבעם לִרְחַבְעָ֖ם לִרְחַבְעָֽם׃ לרחבעם לרחבעם׃ רְחַבְעָ֑ם רְחַבְעָ֔ם רְחַבְעָ֖ם רְחַבְעָ֗ם רְחַבְעָ֛ם רְחַבְעָ֜ם רְחַבְעָ֣ם רְחַבְעָ֤ם רְחַבְעָ֥ם רְחַבְעָ֨ם רְחַבְעָֽם׃ רְחַבְעָם֙ רְחַבְעָם֮ רחבעם רחבעם׃ lir·ḥaḇ·‘ām lirchavAm lirḥaḇ‘ām rə·ḥaḇ·‘ām rechavAm rəḥaḇ‘ām ū·rə·ḥaḇ·‘ām urechavAm ūrəḥaḇ‘āmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 11:43 HEB: אָבִ֑יו וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ רְחַבְעָ֥ם בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ NAS: and his son Rehoboam reigned KJV: his father: and Rehoboam his son INT: of his father reigned Rehoboam and his son his place 1 Kings 12:1 1 Kings 12:3 1 Kings 12:6 1 Kings 12:12 1 Kings 12:17 1 Kings 12:18 1 Kings 12:18 1 Kings 12:21 1 Kings 12:21 1 Kings 12:23 1 Kings 12:27 1 Kings 12:27 1 Kings 14:21 1 Kings 14:21 1 Kings 14:25 1 Kings 14:27 1 Kings 14:29 1 Kings 14:30 1 Kings 14:31 1 Kings 15:6 1 Chronicles 3:10 2 Chronicles 9:31 2 Chronicles 10:1 2 Chronicles 10:3 50 Occurrences |
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