Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
He enlarges the people, the successor of Solomon on the throne, and apparently his only son. He was the son of Naamah “the Ammonitess,” some well-known Ammonitish princess (1 Kings 14:21; 2 Chr. 12:13). C. 975-958). Although he was acknowledged at once as the rightful heir to the throne, yet there was a strongly-felt desire to modify the character of the government. The burden of taxation to which they had been subjected during Solomon’s reign was very oppressive, and therefore the people assembled at Shechem and demanded from the king an alleviation of their burdens.
He went to meet them at Shechem, and heard their demands for relief (1 Kings 12:4). After three days, having consulted with a younger generation of courtiers that had grown up around him, instead of following the advice of elders, he answered the people haughtily (6-15). “The king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord” (comp. 11:31). This brought matters speedily to a crisis. The terrible cry was heard (comp. 2 Sam. 20:1): “What portion have we in David?
Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: To your tents, O Israel: Now see to thine own house, David” (1 Kings 12:16). And now at once the kingdom was rent in twain. Rehoboam was appalled, and tried concessions, but it was too late (18). The tribe of Judah, Rehoboam’s own tribe, alone remained faithful to him. Benjamin was reckoned along with Judah, and these two tribes formed the southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as its capital; while the northern ten tribes formed themselves into a separate kingdom, choosing Jeroboam as their king.
Rehoboam tried to win back the revolted ten tribes by making war against them, but he was prevented by the prophet Shemaiah (21-24; 2 Chr. 11:1-4) from fulfilling his purpose. ), one of the kings of Egypt of the Assyrian dynasty, stirred up, no doubt, by Jeroboam his son-in-law, made war against him. Jerusalem submitted to the invader, who plundered the temple and virtually reduced the kingdom to the position of a vassal of Egypt (1 Kings 14:25, 26; 2 Chr. 12:5-9).
A remarkable memorial of this invasion has been discovered at Karnac, in Upper Egypt, in certain sculptures on the walls of a small temple there. These sculptures represent the king, Shishak, holding in his hand a train of prisoners and other figures, with the names of the captured towns of Judah, the towns which Rehoboam had fortified (2 Chr. 11:5-12). The kingdom of Judah, under Rehoboam, sank more and more in moral and spiritual decay.
” At length, in the fifty-eighth year of his age, Rehoboam “slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David” (1 Kings 14:31). He was succeeded by his son Abijah.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
(enlarger of the people), son of Solomon by the Ammonite princess Naamah, (1 Kings 14:21,31) and his successor. C. 975), probably as an act of concession to the Ephraimites. The people demanded a remission of the severe burdens imposed by Solomon, and Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of his father’s counsellors, followed that of his young courtiers, and returned an insulting answer, which led to an open rebellion among the tribes, and he was compelled to fly to Jerusalem, Judah and Benjamin alone remaining true to him. Jeroboam was made king of the northern tribes.
[Jeroboam] An expedition to reconquer Israel was forbidden by the prophet Shemaiah, (1 Kings 12:21) still during Rehoboam’s lifetime peaceful relations between Israel and Judah were never restored. (2 Chronicles 12:15; 1 Kings 14:30) In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign the country was invaded by a host of Egyptians and other African nations under Shishak. Jerusalem itself was taken and Rehoboam had to purchase an ignominious peace by delivering up the treasures with which Solomon had adorned the temple and palace. The rest of Rehoboam’s life was unmarked by any events of importance.
C. 975, at the age of 41. (1 Kings 14:21; 2 Chronicles 12:13) He had 18 wives, 60 concubines, 28 sons and 60 daughters.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
c. 975-957. It appears that the taxes which Solomon had laid on the people had become an onerous burden; and when Rehoboam went down to Shechem to be anointed and crowned, the representatives of the ten tribes met him with a unanimous demand for relief in the taxation. It is also probable that this proceeding of the ten tribes was influenced by the strong jealousy which reigned between Ephraim and Judah.
The accession of David to the throne, and the transference of the ark and the royal residence to Jerusalem, had given the tribes of Judah and Benjamin a decided prominence, and Ephraim felt very sore. The situation was critical, and Rehoboam showed himself utterly incapable of managing it. Following the advice of his younger courtiers, he gave a most insolent answer, the effect of which was that the ten tribes revolted, leaving Judah and Benjamin alone in their allegiance to him. He at once proposed to employ force for the purpose of reducing the rebels, but was admonished Rehoboam.
" by the prophet Shemaiah to forbear. 1 Kgs 12:24. Continual wars, however, prevailed between the two parties, and a still greater calamity soon fell on the head of the unhappy king. Allured by the enormous riches which Solomon had accumulated in Jerusalem, and probably also instigated by Jeroboam, the Egyptian king Shishak, the founder of the twenty-second dynasty, invaded Judah. Jerusalem was taken, and Rehoboam had to buy an ignominious peace by surrendering all the royal treasures.
This victory of Shishak is found commemorated by artistic representations on the side of the great temple of Karnak.
Hitchcock's Bible Names (1869)
who sets the people at liberty