the son and successor of Solomon; his mother was Naamah, an
Ammonitish woman, whom Solomon had married, 1 Kings xiv, 20, 21. He was
forty-one years of age when he began to reign, and, consequently, was
born in the first year of his father’s reign, A. M. 2990, or the year
before. This prince reigned seventeen years at Jerusalem, and died A. M.
3046. After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam came to Shechem, because all
Israel was there assembled to make him king, 1 Kings xii. Jeroboam, the
son of Nebat, who had headed a sedition against Solomon, and had been
compelled, toward the close of his reign, to take refuge in Egypt, as
soon as he heard that this prince was dead, returned into Judea, and
came to the assembly of the people of Shechem. The Israelites would have
made terms with Rehoboam; but, being a poor politician, and following
the advice of some junior counsellors, he managed his business so
imprudently that he lost the whole house of Israel, save the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin.
Ammonitish woman, whom Solomon had married, 1 Kings xiv, 20, 21. He was
forty-one years of age when he began to reign, and, consequently, was
born in the first year of his father’s reign, A. M. 2990, or the year
before. This prince reigned seventeen years at Jerusalem, and died A. M.
3046. After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam came to Shechem, because all
Israel was there assembled to make him king, 1 Kings xii. Jeroboam, the
son of Nebat, who had headed a sedition against Solomon, and had been
compelled, toward the close of his reign, to take refuge in Egypt, as
soon as he heard that this prince was dead, returned into Judea, and
came to the assembly of the people of Shechem. The Israelites would have
made terms with Rehoboam; but, being a poor politician, and following
the advice of some junior counsellors, he managed his business so
imprudently that he lost the whole house of Israel, save the tribes of
Judah and Benjamin.