Jeroboam

Lore & Background

Jeroboam was the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zereda. His mother, named Zeruah (צרוע 'leprous'), was a widow. He had at least two sons, Abijah and Nadab; Nadab succeeded Jeroboam on the throne. King Solomon made the young Jeroboam a superintendent over his tribesmen in the building of the fortress Millo in Jerusalem and of other public works. Influenced by the words of the prophet Ahijah, he began to form conspiracies with the aim of becoming king; but these plans were discovered, and he fled to Egypt, where he remained under the protection of Pharaoh Shishak until the death of Solomon. After learning of Solomon’s death, Jeroboam returned and participated in a delegation sent to ask the new king Rehoboam to reduce taxes. After Rehoboam rejected their petition, ten of the tribes withdrew their allegiance to the House of David and proclaimed Jeroboam their king, forming the northern kingdom of Israel (Samaria). Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained to form the kingdom of Judah, loyal to Rehoboam. Jeroboam rebuilt and fortified Shechem as the capital of the northern kingdom. Fearing that the pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem prescribed by the Law might provide an occasion for his people to go back to their old allegiances, Jeroboam built two state temples with golden calves, one in Bethel and the other in Dan. This act is condemned by an unnamed prophet in 1 Kings 13, where the Lord declares that Jeroboam has cast YHWH behind his back. Jeroboam further deviated from normative Torah law by declaring the holiday of Sukkot in the eighth month of the calendar instead of the seventh. According to 1 Kings, while Jeroboam was engaged in offering incense at Bethel, a 'man of God' warned him that 'a son named Josiah will be born to the house of David', who would destroy the altar. When Jeroboam attempted to have the prophet arrested, the king's hand was 'dried up', and the altar before which he stood was rent asunder. At the entreaty of the man of God, his hand was restored to him again, but the miracle made no abiding impression on him. Jeroboam offered hospitality to the man of God but this was declined, not out of contempt but in obedience to the command of God. The prophecy is fulfilled in 2 Kings. Josephus and Jerome identify the 'man of God' who warned Jeroboam as the seer named Iddo. The wife of Jeroboam is a character in the Hebrew Bible. Though

Reader's Guide

Jeroboam I is a key figure in the Hebrew Bible, known as the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel after the split of the United Monarchy. His reign is marked by political rebellion, religious innovation (the golden calves at Bethel and Dan), and constant conflict with the southern Kingdom of Judah. His story is primarily found in 1 Kings 11–14 and 2 Chronicles 10–13. Scholars debate his historicity, with some suggesting he may be a retrojection of Jeroboam II, but no consensus exists.

Did You Know?

• The name Jeroboam is commonly held to mean 'the people contend' or 'he pleads the people's cause,' though alternative translations include 'his people are many' or 'he that opposes the people.'
• Jeroboam's mother, Zeruah, is named in the source as a widow, and her name means 'leprous.'
• Jeroboam built two golden calf temples, one in Bethel and one in Dan, to discourage pilgrimages to Jerusalem.
• According to the source, Jeroboam's wife is unnamed in the Masoretic Text but appears in the Septuagint as an Egyptian princess named Ano.
• The prophet Ahijah, who initially supported Jeroboam, later prophesied the death of Jeroboam's son Abijah.