Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:26–28; 1 Kings 11:29–40; 1 Kings 12:1–20; 1 Kings 12:25–33; 1 Kings 13:1–10; 1 Kings 13:33–34; 1 Kings 14:1–20; 1 Kings 14:30; 1 Kings 15:25–30; 2 Kings 17:21–22; 2 Chronicles 10:1–19; 2 Chronicles 11:13–15; 2 Chronicles 13:1–20)

Son of Nebat, first king of Israel

An Ephraimite servant of Solomon whom Ahijah the Shilonite told he would reign over ten tribes, who fled to Egypt, was made king over Israel at Shechem, set up two golden calves at Beth-el and Dan, and is named again and again as the one who made Israel to sin.

Kings introduces him as “Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow” (1 Kings 11:26), who “lifted up his hand against the king” (1 Kings 11:26). “The man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor; and Solomon saw the young man that he was industrious, and he gave him charge over all the labor of the house of Joseph” (1 Kings 11:28). The prophet Ahijah met him in the way, rent a new garment in twelve pieces, and said, “Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee” (1 Kings 11:31). Solomon sought to kill him, and he fled into Egypt until Solomon died (1 Kings 11:40).

When Rehoboam went to Shechem, Jeroboam was sent for and spoke to him with all the assembly of Israel; Rehoboam answered roughly, and Israel departed to their tents and “made him king over all Israel” (1 Kings 12:20). “And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord” (1 Kings 12:26-27). “Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold” (1 Kings 12:28), setting one in Beth-el and the other in Dan. He made priests “that were not of the sons of Levi” (1 Kings 12:31) and a feast in a month “which he had devised of his own heart” (1 Kings 12:33). At the altar in Beth-el a man of God out of Judah cried against it; the king’s outstretched hand dried up and was restored, yet “Jeroboam returned not from his evil way” (1 Kings 13:33).

When his son Abijah fell sick, he sent his wife in disguise to Ahijah at Shiloh, and the word came back that the LORD would cut off his house. Of his end, Kings says “he slept with his fathers” (1 Kings 14:20), and Chronicles says “Jehovah smote him, and he died” (2 Chronicles 13:20). After him, the phrase “the sins of Jeroboam, which he hath sinned, and wherewith he hath made Israel to sin” (1 Kings 14:16) is used of the kings who followed, and 2 Kings says that “the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them” (2 Kings 17:22).

Strengths

• A mighty man of valor
• Industrious

Weaknesses

• Lifted up his hand against the king
• Made two calves of gold
• Made priests not of the sons of Levi
• Returned not from his evil way
• Cast the LORD behind his back
• Made Israel to sin

Themes

• Ten tribes
• The word of the LORD fulfilled
• Golden calves
• Worship devised by man
• The sins of Jeroboam
• A house cut off

Set over the labor of the house of Joseph (1 Kings 11:26–28)

Jeroboam, an Ephraimite servant of Solomon, is called a mighty man of valor, and Solomon gives the industrious young man charge over the labor of the house of Joseph.

Ahijah rends the garment (1 Kings 11:29–39)

Ahijah the Shilonite finds him in the way, rends a new garment in twelve pieces, and gives him ten with the word that the LORD will give him ten tribes.

Ahijah rends the garment

“And it came to pass at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field. And Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces” (1 Kings 11:29-30).

“Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee” (1 Kings 11:31). The reason given: “they have forsaken me” (1 Kings 11:33).

“And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in mine eyes … that I will be with thee, and will build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee” (1 Kings 11:37-38). Scripture records no reply from Jeroboam.

Flees to Egypt (1 Kings 11:40)

Solomon seeks to kill Jeroboam, and he arises and flees to Shishak king of Egypt, where he stays until Solomon dies.

Speaks for the assembly at Shechem (1 Kings 12:1–15; 2 Chronicles 10:1–15)

Called out of Egypt, Jeroboam comes with all the assembly of Israel and speaks to Rehoboam at Shechem, who answers the people roughly and hearkens not to them.

Made king over Israel (1 Kings 12:16–20)

Israel departs to their tents, stones Adoram, and sends for Jeroboam, calling him to the congregation and making him king over all Israel; only Judah follows the house of David.

The two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25–33; 2 Chronicles 11:14–15)

Having built Shechem and Penuel and said in his heart that the kingdom would return to the house of David, the king makes two calves of gold, sets them at Beth-el and Dan, makes priests not of the sons of Levi, and ordains a feast in a month he devised of his own heart.

The two golden calves

Jeroboam built Shechem and dwelt there, and built Penuel (1 Kings 12:25). “And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah” (1 Kings 12:26-27).

“Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan” (1 Kings 12:28-29).

“And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that were not of the sons of Levi” (1 Kings 12:30-31).

“And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to burn incense” (1 Kings 12:33). Chronicles adds that the Levites came to Judah, “for Jeroboam and his sons cast them off, that they should not execute the priest’s office unto Jehovah” (2 Chronicles 11:14).

The man of God from Judah and the withered hand (1 Kings 13:1–10)

A man of God out of Judah cries against the altar at Beth-el; Jeroboam puts forth his hand to have him seized, it dries up, and it is restored when the man entreats the LORD.

The man of God from Judah and the withered hand

“And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Jehovah unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar by the word of Jehovah, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith Jehovah: Behold, a son shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name” (1 Kings 13:1-2).

“Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of Jehovah” (1 Kings 13:4-5).

“And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Entreat now the favor of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God entreated Jehovah, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before” (1 Kings 13:6).

The king invited him home with a reward; the man of God answered that “so was it charged me by the word of Jehovah” (1 Kings 13:9) and went another way (1 Kings 13:7-10).

Returns not from his evil way (1 Kings 13:11–34)

After a lion slays the man of God who ate bread at Beth-el against the word of the LORD, Jeroboam still makes priests of the high places, and the text says this became sin to his house.

Abijah’s sickness and the wife in disguise (1 Kings 14:1–18)

When his son Abijah falls sick, Jeroboam sends his wife, disguised, to Ahijah at Shiloh, whose eyes were set by reason of his age, who tells her the LORD will cut off his house and the child dies as she reaches the threshold.

Abijah’s sickness and the wife in disguise

“At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spake concerning me that I should be king over this people” (1 Kings 14:1-2). Ahijah could not see, but the LORD told him she was coming, and he said, “Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings” (1 Kings 14:6).

“Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people … but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back: therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam” (1 Kings 14:7-10).

“And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. And all Israel buried him, and mourned for him, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the prophet” (1 Kings 14:17-18).

War with Rehoboam and with Abijah of Judah (1 Kings 14:30; 1 Kings 15:6–7; 2 Chronicles 13:1–19)

There is war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually, and Chronicles tells of the battle with Abijah king of Judah, in which Jeroboam sets an ambushment behind Judah and God smites Israel.

War with Rehoboam and with Abijah of Judah

“And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually” (1 Kings 14:30). In the eighteenth year of Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah, “and there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam” (2 Chronicles 13:2).

“Abijah joined battle with an army of valiant men of war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: and Jeroboam set the battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men, who were mighty men of valor” (2 Chronicles 13:3). Abijah stood on mount Zemaraim and said, “Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord” (2 Chronicles 13:6).

“But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them” (2 Chronicles 13:13). “Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah” (2 Chronicles 13:15).

His death (1 Kings 14:19–20; 2 Chronicles 13:20)

Kings gives his reign as twenty-two years, after which he slept with his fathers and Nadab his son reigned; Chronicles says the LORD smote him and he died.

His house destroyed (1 Kings 15:25–30)

Nadab his son reigns two years and is slain by Baasha, who smites all the house of Jeroboam according to the saying of the LORD by Ahijah, for the sins of Jeroboam wherewith he made Israel to sin.

Solomon (1 Kings 11:26–28; 1 Kings 11:40)

Jeroboam was his servant, set over the labor of the house of Joseph; he lifted up his hand against the king, and Solomon sought to kill him.

Ahijah the Shilonite (1 Kings 11:29–39; 1 Kings 14:1–18)

The prophet who rent the new garment, gave Jeroboam ten pieces, and later sent word of the end of his house.

Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:1–20; 1 Kings 14:30)

Jeroboam spoke to him at Shechem with all Israel, and there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

The LORD (1 Kings 11:31–38; 1 Kings 12:15; 1 Kings 14:7–16)

Spoke by Ahijah and by the man of God from Judah; the text says the division was a thing brought about of the LORD to establish his word.

The man of God from Judah (1 Kings 13:1–10)

Cried against the altar at Beth-el by the word of the LORD; Jeroboam’s hand dried up and was restored at his prayer.

Abijah, his son (1 Kings 14:1–18)

Fell sick, and died as his mother came to the threshold at Tirzah; in him was found some good thing toward the LORD, and all Israel mourned him.

His wife (1 Kings 14:2–6; 1 Kings 14:17)

Sent in disguise to Shiloh, where Ahijah, hearing her feet, said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam.

Nadab (1 Kings 14:20; 1 Kings 15:25–26)

His son, who reigned in his stead and walked in the way of his father.

Baasha (1 Kings 15:27–30)

Conspired against Nadab, reigned in his stead, and smote all the house of Jeroboam according to the saying of the LORD by Ahijah the Shilonite.

Abijah king of Judah (2 Chronicles 13:1–20)

Fought Jeroboam at mount Zemaraim, took cities from him, and Jeroboam recovered not strength in his days.

Major sections

• 1 Kings 11:26–12:33
• 1 Kings 13
• 1 Kings 14:1–20
• 1 Kings 15:25–30
• 2 Kings 17:21–23
• 2 Chronicles 10
• 2 Chronicles 13

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