Jeroboam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jeroboamירבעם |
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Detail of Jeroboam Sacrificing to Idols by Fragonard, 1752
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| King of Northern Israel | |
| Reign | c. 931 – 910 BC |
| Predecessor | Position established |
| Successor | Nadab |
| Born | unknown United Kingdom of Israel |
| Died | c. 910 BC Tirzah, Northern Kingdom of Israel |
| Spouse | Ano (named only in the Septuagint) |
| House | New House, Tribe of Ephraim |
| Father | Nebat |
| Mother | Zeruah |
Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. The Hebrew Bible tells us his rule began after a big revolt. Ten northern Israelite tribes rebelled against King Rehoboam. This rebellion ended the United Monarchy, which was when all the Israelite tribes were under one king.
Jeroboam ruled for 22 years. Historians have different ideas about when he reigned. Some say it was from 922 to 901 BC. Others suggest his rule was from 931 to 910 BC.
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What Does the Name Jeroboam Mean?
The name Jeroboam comes from Hebrew words. It often means "the people contend" or "he pleads the people's cause." It can also mean "his people are many" or "he increases the people." In an old Greek translation of the Bible, he is called Hieroboam.
Jeroboam's Early Life and Rise to Power
Jeroboam was the son of Nebat. He belonged to the Tribe of Ephraim. His mother, Zeruah, was a widow. Jeroboam had at least two sons, Abijah and Nadab. Nadab later became king after him.
When he was young, King Solomon made Jeroboam a supervisor. He oversaw his tribesmen working on big building projects. These included the fortress Millo in Jerusalem. He saw that many people were unhappy with Solomon's expensive projects.
A prophet named Ahijah told Jeroboam he would become king. This led Jeroboam to start planning to rule the ten northern tribes. But his plans were found out. He had to escape to Egypt. He stayed there under the protection of Pharaoh Shishak until Solomon died.
After Solomon's death, Jeroboam returned. He joined a group asking the new king, Rehoboam, to lower taxes. Rehoboam refused their request. Because of this, ten tribes decided not to follow the house of David anymore. They made Jeroboam their king, forming the northern kingdom of Israel. Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin stayed loyal to Rehoboam. They formed the new kingdom of Judah.
Building New Temples
Jeroboam rebuilt and made Shechem stronger. It became the capital of the northern kingdom. He worried that if his people went to the temple in Jerusalem for worship, they might go back to following Rehoboam. So, he built two state temples. These temples had golden calves for worship. One was in Bethel and the other in Dan.
Even though he was criticized for this, worshipping calves was not new. It was a return to older traditions in Israel. Bethel and Dan were already places where people worshipped.
The Bible says that while Jeroboam was offering incense at Bethel, a "man of God" appeared. This prophet warned him that a future king named Josiah would destroy the altar. Jeroboam tried to arrest the prophet, but his hand became "dried up." The altar also broke apart. The prophet prayed, and Jeroboam's hand was healed. But this miracle did not change Jeroboam's ways.
Jeroboam's Family and Prophecies
The "man of God" who warned Jeroboam might have been a prophet named Iddo.
Jeroboam's wife is mentioned in the Bible. Her name is not given in some versions. But in the Septuagint, an old Greek Bible, she is called Ano. She was an Egyptian princess.
In the First Book of Kings, Jeroboam's son Abijah became very sick. Jeroboam sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah. Ahijah's message was sad: Abijah would die. And he did. Jewish writings say that Abijah was a good person. He bravely removed guards his father had placed. These guards were meant to stop people from going to Jerusalem to worship. Some even say Abijah himself went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
War with Judah
The Bible says Jeroboam was always at war with the kingdom of Judah. Judah did not try hard to take back control of the north. But there was a long fight over the border. This fighting continued through the reigns of several kings until it was finally settled.
In Jeroboam's eighteenth year as king, Abijah became king of Judah. Abijah was Rehoboam's son. During his short three-year rule, Abijah worked hard to bring the Kingdom of Israel back under his control. He fought a big battle against Jeroboam. This battle took place in the mountains of Ephraim.
According to the Book of Chronicles, Abijah had 400,000 soldiers, and Jeroboam had 800,000. The Bible says Abijah spoke to Israel's armies. He asked them to surrender and let the kingdom be whole again. But they did not listen. Abijah then encouraged his own troops. He said, "God is with us as our leader." The Bible tells us that Abijah's best warriors fought off an attack from two sides. They defeated Jeroboam's troops, killing 500,000 of them.
This big defeat weakened Jeroboam. He was no longer a major threat to the Kingdom of Judah for the rest of his rule. He also lost the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron. These towns had important villages around them. Bethel was a key place for Jeroboam's Golden Calf worship. It was on Israel's southern border.
Jeroboam died soon after Abijah.
Images for kids
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Detail of Jeroboam Sacrificing to Idols by Fragonard, 1752
See also
In Spanish: Jeroboam I para niños
