Rehoboam

Ree´huh-boh´uhm

The son of Solomon by Naamah, an Ammonite princess (1Kgs 14:31). He was successor to his father as the last king of the United Monarchy, and he was the first king of Judah after the northern tribes revolted against his rule under Jeroboam I, who was made their king. The basic biblical narratives concerning Rehoboam are found in (1Kgs 11:43; 1Kgs 12:1-24; 1Kgs 14:21-31; and 2Chr 9:31-12:16). Upon accession to the throne, he pledged to continue his father’s unpopular policies of forced labor and high taxation, which precipitated the revolt and division of the empire. Rehoboam continued to wage war against Israel; also, according to (1Kgs 14:25-28), Pharaoh Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and many of the treasures of the Temple and palace had to be handed over as ransom.