Rehoboam was the son of Solomon, the third king of Israel, and the figure who initiated the division into the southern Kingdom of Judah and the northern Kingdom of Israel. [See Genealogy of the Kingdom of Judah] His mother was Naamah of the Ammonites.
1 Kings 14:21Judah did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done.
1 Kings 12:4He said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” So the people departed.
1 Kings 12:6They replied, “If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then they will be your servants forever.”1 Kings 12:7But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
1 Kings 12:8He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may answer these people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter?’ ”1 Kings 12:9The young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Tell these people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter to us;’ tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist.1 Kings 12:10Now my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’ ”1 Kings 12:11So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king asked, saying, “Come to me again the third day.”
이에, 르호보암은 독립한 북이스라엘을 공격하기위해 병사를 소집하였으나, 선지자 스마야로부터 하나님의 말씀을 듣고는 전쟁을 포기하고, 현재의 영토를 굳건히 지키는데 힘을 쏟는다.
1 Kings 12:21But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,1 Kings 12:22“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,1 Kings 12:23‘Yahweh says, “You shall not go up or fight against your brothers, the children of Israel. Everyone return to his house; for this thing is from me.” ’ ” So they listened to Yahweh’s word, and returned and went their way, according to Yahweh’s word.1 Kings 12:24Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived in it; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.1 Kings 12:25Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to David’s house.1 Kings 12:26If this people goes up to offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s house at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam) king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
결국 애굽의 왕 시삭이 쳐들어와 많은 보물을 빼앗기고 만다.
1 Kings 14:22For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.1 Kings 14:23There were also sodomites in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which Yahweh drove out before the children of Israel.1 Kings 14:24In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem,1 Kings 14:25and he took away the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house. He even took away all of it, including all the gold shields which Solomon had made.1 Kings 14:26King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house.1 Kings 14:27It was so, that as often as the king went into Yahweh’s house, the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard room.1 Kings 14:28Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?