Shemaiah’s Prophecy
Shemaiah's prophecy stopped an immediate civil war among...
Shemaiah's prophecy stopped an immediate civil war among Israel's tribes. However, Rehoboam's reign is described as one of constant conflict with Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 12:15). Civil war marked the first fifty years of the divided kingdom, lasting until Omri's time.
1When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: 3“Tell Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah and all the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin 4that this is what the LORD says: ‘You are not to go up and fight against your brothers. Each of you must return home, for this is My doing.’” So they listened to the words of the LORD and turned back from going against Jeroboam.
Rehoboam Fortifies Judah
Rehoboam fortified several towns to defend Judah from...
Rehoboam fortified several towns to defend Judah from the east, south, and west. This protected the valleys leading into the Judean hill country and important crossroads. Rehoboam's first task was to strengthen a small but defensible position. The defensive lines were strategically sensible against an Egyptian attack and likely started before Pharaoh Shishak's invasion in 926 or 925 BC.
The Lord blessed Rehoboam through his building projects,...
The Lord blessed Rehoboam through his building projects, the movement of loyal priests from the north to the south, the migration of faithful people from the north to Jerusalem, and his large family.
5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built up cities for defense in Judah. 6He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, the fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin. 11He strengthened their fortifications and put officers in them, with supplies of food, oil, and wine. 12He also put shields and spears in all the cities and strengthened them greatly. So Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.
Jeroboam Forsakes the Priests and Levites
Jeroboam's rebellion in the north (see 1 Kings...
Jeroboam's rebellion in the north (see 1 Kings 12:26–33) caused those who truly wanted to worship the Lord to move south. Rehoboam followed the Lord faithfully for three years, but he became unfaithful in the fourth year of his reign (2 Chronicles 12:1). God then quickly punished Rehoboam by sending Shishak to invade from Egypt (2 Chronicles 12:2–5).
13Moreover, the priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel stood with Rehoboam. 14For the Levites left their pasturelands and their possessions and went to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the LORD. 15And Jeroboam appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat demons and calf idols he had made.
16Those from every tribe of Israel who had set their hearts to seek the LORD their God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their fathers. 17So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.
Rehoboam’s Family
Rehoboam likely had the same number of wives...
Rehoboam likely had the same number of wives and children throughout his reign, not just by his fifth year. He loved his second wife more than his first, so he broke the rule of primogeniture (inheritance belonging to the firstborn son, Deuteronomy 21:15–17) by making Abijah the next king, possibly in a co-regency. This action ensured a smooth succession.
18And Rehoboam married Mahalath, who was the daughter of David’s son Jerimoth and of Abihail, the daughter of Jesse’s son Eliab. 19She bore sons to him: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham.
20After her, he married Maacah daughter of Absalom, and she bore to him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. 21Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.
22Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, intending to make him king. 23Rehoboam also acted wisely by dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin, and to all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and sought many wives for them.