Topical Bible: Conspiracy of Jeroboam

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Conspiracy of Jeroboam refers to the events surrounding Jeroboam's rise to power and the subsequent division of the united monarchy of Israel. This pivotal moment in biblical history is primarily documented in the Old Testament books of 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles.

Background

Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, was an Ephraimite from Zeredah and a servant of King Solomon. He was recognized as a "mighty man of valor" (1 Kings 11:28) and was appointed by Solomon to oversee the labor force of the house of Joseph. During Solomon's reign, the kingdom experienced unprecedented prosperity and peace, but it was also marked by Solomon's turn to idolatry, influenced by his foreign wives. This apostasy led to God's pronouncement of judgment upon Solomon's house.

Prophecy of Ahijah

The prophet Ahijah the Shilonite played a crucial role in Jeroboam's conspiracy. Ahijah met Jeroboam on the road and symbolically tore a new garment into twelve pieces, giving ten pieces to Jeroboam. This act represented God's intention to tear the kingdom from Solomon's son and give ten tribes to Jeroboam. Ahijah conveyed God's message: "Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes" (1 Kings 11:31). This divine prophecy set the stage for Jeroboam's eventual rebellion.

Rebellion and Division

After Solomon's death, his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne. The people of Israel, burdened by heavy taxation and forced labor, appealed to Rehoboam for relief. Rehoboam's harsh response, rejecting the counsel of the elders and heeding the advice of his young peers, led to widespread discontent. The ten northern tribes, feeling alienated, revolted against the house of David. Jeroboam was made king over Israel, fulfilling Ahijah's prophecy. "So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day" (1 Kings 12:19).

Religious Innovations

Jeroboam's reign was marked by significant religious changes. Fearing that pilgrimages to Jerusalem for worship would undermine his rule, Jeroboam established alternative centers of worship in Bethel and Dan. He set up golden calves, declaring, "Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt" (1 Kings 12:28). This act of idolatry was a direct violation of the covenant with Yahweh and led Israel into sin.

Legacy

The conspiracy and subsequent actions of Jeroboam had lasting implications for the spiritual and political landscape of Israel. Jeroboam's establishment of idolatrous worship practices set a precedent that plagued the northern kingdom throughout its history. The division of the kingdom marked the beginning of a tumultuous period characterized by frequent conflicts and a departure from the worship of the one true God.

The Conspiracy of Jeroboam serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of disobedience to God's commands and the dangers of political ambition that disregards divine authority.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Kings 14:2
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray you, and disguise yourself, that you be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get you to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

National Apostasy
... Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, occupied the throne of Israel for only a few months.
His career of evil was suddenly stopped by a conspiracy headed by Baasha, one ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 8 national apostasy.htm

How Amon Reigned Instead of Manasseh; and after Amon Reigned ...
... he insolently did when he was young: so he had a conspiracy made against ... and utterly
destroyed what buildings had been made therein by king Jeroboam, in honor ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how amon reigned.htm

He Shows by the Example of victorinus that There is More Joy in ...
... the princes--men of renown in their tribes--stood up with Korah, presently a multitude
are drawn into the conspiracy (Numbers 16:2, 19). Let Jeroboam set up ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter iv he shows by the.htm

How the Bishop is to Treat the Innocent, the Guilty, and the ...
... disease, will be compelled to perish with him; as was the case of the people joining
with Jeroboam, [2637] and those which were in the conspiracy with Corah. ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec iii how the bishop is.htm

Comparison Between the False Church and the True.
... those of the Israelites, which revolted to superstition and idolatry under Jeroboam. ...
distinguished from Babylon, the Church of Christ from a conspiracy of Satan ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 2 comparison between the.htm

The Antiquities of the Jews
... King Of Israel And Jonah The Prophet; And How After The Death Of Jeroboam His Son ...
8. How Ten Men Of The Citizens [Of Jerusalem] Made A Conspiracy Against Herod ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/the antiquities of the jews/

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Interpretation of Prophecy.
... 1:Sam.23:9-12); the prediction that Josiah should defile Jeroboam's altar at ... The
second psalm, for example, which describes the vain conspiracy of the heathen ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxviii interpretation of prophecy.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... the part taken by Nathan in the conspiracy which raised Solomon to the throne (1 ...
Similarly, we find prophets such as Ahijah in the reign of Jeroboam I.((1 ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm