Read the Passage: 1 Kings 12

Rehoboam’s Foolishness (12:1–15)

While the rise of Jeroboam and the division of the kingdom is alarming, it ought not to be surprising, for God had predicted these events in 1 Kings 11:11–13. Moreover, at 1 Kings 11:29–39 Ahijah the prophet had even identified Jeroboam as the one who would be king over the ten northern tribes of Israel. After Solomon’s death, his son Rehoboam ascended to the throne. Observe that while Solomon had 1,000 wives and concubines, Rehoboam is his only named son in Scripture. While Solomon’s kingdom was glorious, he had unjustly oppressed the people via forced public service (cf. 1 Kings 5:13) and heavy taxation (cf. 1 Kings 4:7). Since the people were anticipating problems with Rehoboam, they sent for Jeroboam from Egypt to represent them before the king. The people’s request was simply that Rehoboam lighten their service and tax burden in exchange for their faithful obedience.

The people’s request to Rehoboam was a pivotal point in the history of Israel, as a positive response from the new king may have led to the people’s faithful service, while a negative response would fracture the nation. Of course, 1 Kings 12:16–2 Kings 17:41 records the aftermath of Rehoboam’s foolish reply, including the division of Israel and the deportation of the ten northern tribes 210 years later. 1 Kings 12:6–11 reports the contrasting advice that the king received from the elders and his peers. Predictably, the elders gave wise counsel (cf. Job 12:12), while Rehoboam’s own peers gave foolish advice (cf. Prov. 22:15). Observe that Rehoboam’s response to the people was not the result of uncertainty or of a prolonged internal debate; rather, 1 Kings 12:8 says that Rehoboam outright “rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and [then he] consulted with the young men who had grown up with him.”

People’s Rebellion (12:16–24)

If there is any comfort in Rehoboam’s foolish response to the people, it comes in reading that this “turn of events was from the Lord that He might fulfill His word” (1 Kings 12:15). While Rehoboam was responsible for his own actions, note that these events stemmed from the sins of Solomon described in the previous chapters, especially Solomon’s idolatry. Indeed, our sins never affect just us. Next, the people’s reaction to the pride and foolishness of Rehoboam was to rebel against the king and to appoint Jeroboam as their leader. The ten tribes that followed Jeroboam were: Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, and Manasseh. The two tribes that stayed with Rehoboam were: Judah and Benjamin. Later, 2 Chron. 11:13–17 notes that most of the tribe of Levi, which had no land allowance, relocated to the south and followed Rehoboam.

Rehoboam was so inexperienced, and perhaps insulated from common life, that he did not understand the ramifications of his foolish response to the people. Indeed, the king unwisely sent Adoram, who was over taxation and labor (cf. 1 Kings 4:6; 5:14), to collect revenue from the people whom he’d just offended. This resulted in Adoram’s death and Rehoboam hastily fleeing to Jerusalem for safety. If the king was still in Shechem (cf. 1 Kings 12:1), which was located in the territory of Ephraim, then Rehoboam’s flight would have been about 30 miles. In response to the rebellion of the ten northern tribes, as well as the murder of Adoram, Rehoboam marshalled a large army from Judah and Benjamin to engage in a civil war with Israel. Yet, God sent a prophet to tell the king to dismiss the troops, as God declared, “Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me” (1 Kings 12:24).

Jeroboam’s Idolatry (12:25–33)

The division of the nation into Israel and Judah, which was ordained by God (cf. 1 Kings 12:15, 24), was intended to be a political division, not a religious one. This would have required the people of the ten northern tribes of Israel to regularly travel south to worship in the temple in Jerusalem. Since Jeroboam feared that this would give Rehoboam an opportunity to turn the people against him, he constructed two golden calves for the nation to worship in Israel, placing one in the southern city of Bethel and one in northern city of Dan. The people were then effectively banned from visiting Jerusalem. Jeroboam knew that God had ordained the division of the nation, that it was precipitated by idolatry (cf. 1 Kings 11:33), and that his reign was contingent upon obedience (cf. 1 Kings 11:38); nevertheless, Jeroboam led the nation into the same sin of idolatrous golden calf worship that Aaron had committed in Exod. 32.

Application Questions:

1. What are some benefits and drawbacks of a monarchy where sons always follow their fathers in becoming king?
2. Why does Scripture repeatedly exhort the young to submit themselves to their elders (cf. Lev. 19:32; 1 Pet. 5:5)?
3. When you ask others for advice, are you honestly seeking counsel, or are you merely looking for affirmation?
4. When, if ever, it is acceptable for believers to rebel against authority, including the government?
5. Why do people who make foolish decisions tend to have lives marked by repeated foolish decisions?