Rehoboam's Father in the Bible According to Scripture
Rehoboam, who succeeded his father Solomon as king, was the son of Solomon and Naamah the Ammonitess [3, 5]. This lineage is consistently affirmed in biblical texts and theological commentaries. The First Book of Kings states, "Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah" [3]. His mother, Naamah, is specifically identified as an Ammonitess [3, 5]. This detail is also noted in rabbinic tradition, which highlights Naamah's Ammonite origin [10, 13, 14].
Rehoboam's reign began when he was forty-one years old, and he ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem [3, 8]. His coronation took place in Shechem, a choice likely intended as a concession to the Ephraimites [5]. However, Rehoboam's reign was marked by significant division. The people requested a reduction of the heavy burdens imposed by his father Solomon. Rehoboam, rejecting the counsel of older advisors and instead following the advice of his younger peers, responded harshly to these demands [5, 11]. This led to an open rebellion among the tribes, resulting in the division of the united monarchy into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah [5, 16]. Rehoboam was forced to flee to Jerusalem, retaining control only over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin [5, 8].
The biblical genealogies confirm Solomon as Rehoboam's father. The Gospel of Matthew, in its genealogy of Jesus, lists "Solomon the father of Rehoboam" [1]. John Gill's commentary on Matthew 1:7 also identifies Rehoboam as the son of Solomon, noting his mother as Naamah the Ammonitess [12].
Rehoboam's successor was his son Abijah, also known as Abijam [2, 4, 6]. Abijah's mother was Maachah, who is also referred to as Michaiah, the daughter of Abishalom (or Absalom) [7, 12, 15]. Abijah attempted to reclaim the kingdom of the Ten Tribes from Jeroboam and achieved some success in battle, taking several cities from Israel [2]. Despite these efforts, Abijah is noted to have "walked in all the sins of Rehoboam" [2].
The patristic writer Augustine, in discussing God's judgments, references Rehoboam's decision to reject the counsel of older men in favor of his younger peers, leading to the division of the kingdom [11]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, suggests that Solomon's extensive number of wives might have contributed to his lack of numerous offspring and that Rehoboam, despite being the son of the wisest man, was "a poor, unprincipled fool" [9]. This perspective implies a connection between Solomon's actions and the character of his son.
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 1:7 (BSB) — Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Abijah Or Abijam — (my father is Jehovah). + Son and successor of Rehoboam on the throne of Judah. (1 Kings 4:21; 2 Chronicles 12:16) He is called [22]Abia, Abiah, Or Abijah in Chronicles, [23]Abijam in Kings. He began to reign B.C. 959, and reigned three years. He endeavored to recover the kingdom of the Ten Tribes, and made war on Jeroboam. He was successful in battle, and took several of the cities of Israel. We are told that he walked in all the sins of Rehoboam. (1 Kings 14:23,24) + The second son of Samuel, called [24]Abia, Abiah, Or Abijah, [25]Abia, Course OfH”
- 1 Kings “Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. -- 1 Kings 14:21”
- 1 Kings “Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place. -- 1 Kings 14:31”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Rehoboam — (enlarger of the people), son of Solomon by the Ammonite princess Naamah, (1 Kings 14:21,31) and his successor. (1 Kings 11:43) Rehoboam selected Shechem as the place of his coronation (B.C. 975), probably as an act of concession to the Ephraimites. The people demanded a remission of the severe burdens imposed by Solomon, and Rehoboam, rejecting the advice of his father's counsellors, followed that of his young courtiers, and returned an insulting answer, which led to an open rebellion among the tribes, and he was compelled to fly to Jerusalem, Judah and Be”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Abijam — Father of the sea; i.e., "seaman" the name always used in Kings of the king of Judah, the son of Rehoboam, elsewhere called Abijah (1 Kings 15:1, 7, 8). (See [2]ABIJAH.)”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Abishalom — (father of peace), father or grandfather of Maachah, who was the wife of Rehoboam and mother of Abijah. (1 Kings 15:2,10) He is called Absalom in (2 Chronicles 11:20,21) This person must be David's son. See LXX.; (2 Samuel 14:27)”
- 1 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Kings 14:20: And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah,.... Over the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, when Jeroboam reigned over the other ten: Rehoboam was forty one years old when he began to reign; being born one year before his father Solomon began to reign, and so it might have been expected he would have begun his reign more wisely than he did: and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem; not half so long as his father and grandfather, being neither so wise nor so good a prince as either of them: the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Isr”
- 1 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 12:1: Rehoboam went to Shechem - Rehoboam was probably the only son of Solomon; for although he had a thousand wives, he had not the blessing of a numerous offspring; and although he was the wisest of men himself, his son was a poor, unprincipled fool. Had Solomon kept himself within reasonable bounds in matrimonial affairs, he would probably have had more children; and such as would have had common sense enough to discern the delicacy of their situation, and rule according to reason and religion.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Yevamot 77a.6: Rava further taught: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Many things have You done, O Lord my God, Your wonders and Your thoughts are upon us” (Psalms 40:6)? Upon me is not stated, but rather “upon us,” which teaches that Rehoboam, son of Solomon and grandson of David, was sitting on the lap of David, who said to him: These two verses were stated about me and about you, as Rehoboam’s mother was Na’ama the Ammonite.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 45 [XXI]--GOD DOES WHATSOEVER HE WILLS IN THE HEARTS OF EVEN WICKED MEN. (part 1): Who can help trembling at those judgments of God by which He does in the hearts of even wicked men whatsoever He wills, at the same time rendering to them according to their deeds ? Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, rejected the salutary counsel of the old men, not to deal harshly with the people, and preferred listening to the words of the. young men of his own age, by returning a rough answer to those to whom he should have spoken gently. Now whence arose such conduct”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 1:7: And Solomon begat Roboam,.... Called Rehoboam, Kg1 11:43 of Naamah an Ammonitess, Kg1 14:21. And Roboam begat Abia, sometimes called Abijam, as in Kg1 14:31, sometimes Abijah, Ch2 12:16 and sometimes, as here, Abia, Ch1 3:10. Him Rehoboam begat of Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom, Kg1 15:2 called Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel, Ch2 13:2. Maachah and Michaiah being the same name; or else she went by two names, as her father did. And Abia begat Asa, who was a good king; his mother's name is the same with the name of his father's mother; and perhaps it is not his ”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nazir 24a.1: she merited to precede the younger daughter by four generations to the monarchy of the Jewish people. The descendants of Ruth the Moabite ruled over the Jewish people for four generations: Obed, Yishai, David, and Solomon, before the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, whose mother was Naamah the Ammonite.”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Nazir 133b.47:1: she merited to precede the younger daughter by four generations to the monarchy of the Jewish people. The descendants of Ruth the Moabite ruled over the Jewish people for four generations: Obed, Yishai, David, and Solomon, before the reign of Solomon’s son Rehoboam, whose mother was Naamah the Ammonite.”
- 2 Chronicles (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Chronicles 11:19: And Rehoboam loved Maacah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines, &c. Who is called Michaiah, the daughter of Uriel, Ch2 13:2, for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines; led thereunto by the example of his father Solomon, contrary to the command of God, Deu 17:17. and begat twenty eight sons and sixty daughters; to have many children was reckoned a great blessing, but it was not honourable to have them in such a way.”
- 2 Kings (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Kings 17:21: For he rent Israel from the house of David,.... In the times of Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when ten tribes revolted from him, signified by the rending of a garment in twelve pieces, ten of which were given to Jeroboam; and it is here ascribed to the Lord, being according to his purpose and decree, and which was brought about by his providence, agreeably to a prophecy of his, see Kg1 11:30. and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king; of themselves, without consulting the Lord and his prophets; and which was resented by him, though it was his will, and he had fo”