The Era of the Kings--Part I: Solomon to

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The kingdom is united for three reigns, although even within these reigns there was strife and division between the tribes.

Saul-1st kingDavid-2nd kingSolomon-3rd king

then the official split begins:

From Bob Deffinbaugh's article "The Great Divorce"

"Our text is a vivid illustration of the way divisions occur. The division of the united kingdom occurred in a way that is classic for all divisions. Churches have split and marriages have ended in divorce in precisely the same manner. Let me point out some of the key elements. The first element is pride (or arrogance). Rehoboam was too proud to heed the petition of the people and to lighten the load his father had placed on them. The second element, closely related, is power. Rehoboam wanted to be in control, to be “in charge.” He viewed mercy, kindness, and humility as weakness, and he would have none of this. The third element is “godly counsel.” Rehoboam refused to heed the wise counsel of his father’s counselors; instead, he listened to his peers. I don’t know how many divorces have been facilitated by the “advice” of good friends. The fourth element is that of leadership. Rehoboam abused his position of leadership. He viewed his position as the opportunity to force others to serve him, rather than as his opportunity to serve others. Humility and servanthood would have saved his kingdom. Finally, there is the element of time. There was a window of opportunity for healing and reconciliation, and Rehoboam did not seize it. The longer the division lasted, the more intense it became. We would do well to ponder the failures of Rehoboam, for divisions are still very much a part of the fallen world in which we live." BD

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A friend of mine reminded me of the “principle of unintended consequences.” To be honest, I’m not sure that I fully grasp it, but I do think that our text demonstrates the fact that our actions often can have very profound “unintended consequences.” At the moment Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, I am convinced that she had no idea where her sin would lead. Actions that may seem trivial at the time have profound consequences, for good or evil. Rehoboam did not set out to divide his kingdom or to set the nation on a path of disaster. But the fact is that his foolish decision did have these consequences. Rehoboam should have known better. He followed the example of Solomon his father (at a very foolish time in his life) and the advice of his friends, rather than the Word of God and the words of wise men."  -Bob Deffinbaugh

www.stevethomason.net

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Comment on Kings vs. Chronicles info:

"As has been stressed repeatedly, one of the chronicler’s major purposes was to provide a comprehensive and systematic account of the divine selection of David and his dynasty and its historical development. This is why the kings of Judah dominate the record and those of Israel appear only when they relate to affairs in the Southern Kingdom. This is contrary to the approach in 1 and 2 Kings where, if anything, the rulers of Israel are pivotal and those of Judah, at least till the fall of Samaria, are almost incidental."  -KC

First era of split:

Northern Kingdom--IsraelSouthern Kingdom--Judah

J1--Rehoboam

Solomon's son, 41 when assumed reign, rules for 17 years, mother is an Ammonite, rejected wise advice of elder advisers in favor of younger, led to discontent of people and fed into the split, described as evil, had 18 wives and 60 concubines.  He appointed Abijah, the son of his favorite wife, as king and appointed his other sons to different posts throughout the kingdom.  After he became ruler, he abandoned the Lord.  Therefore, the Lord allowed Egypt, King Shishak to conquer them.  They ransacked the temple and "stole everything"...including gold shields that R later replaced with bronze.  States that because R humbled himself, there were still some good things in Judah. States that throughout his lifetime, there was constant war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

I1--Jeroboam

His name means "He pleads the people's cause"  reigned 22 years

From Wikipedia: 

"While still young, Jeroboam was promoted by Solomon to be chief superintendent of the

"burnden", i.e. the bands of forced laborers. Influenced by the words of the prophet Ahijah, he began to form conspiracies with the view of becoming king of the ten tribes; but these were discovered, and he fled to Egypt where he remained under the protection of pharaoh Shishak until the death of Solomon. On the death of Solomon, Rehoboam assumed the throne. However, the ten northern tribes revolted against his rule and invited Jeroboam to become their king. The conduct of Rehoboam favored the designs of Jeroboam, and he was accordingly proclaimed "king of Israel". 

During J's lifetime "there was constant strife between the two kingdoms (2Ch_12:15), but all-out war was avoided. The expression "all Israel in Judah and Benjamin" (v. 3) refers to all in the southern kingdom who were loyal to David's dynasty. 11:5-12 Much of the king's time was spent in building cities of defense for Judah. The fortified cities, located south of Jerusalem, showed that he feared attack from Egypt.

He rebuilt and fortified Shechem as the capital of his kingdom. He at once adopted means to perpetuate the division with the southern Kingdom of Judah. He erected at Dan and Bethel, the two extremities of his kingdom, "golden calves" which he set up as symbols of God, enjoining the people not any more to go up to worship at Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem but to bring their offerings to the shrines he had erected.

Thus he became distinguished as the man "who made Israel to sin." This policy was followed by all the succeeding kings of Israel." --Wikipedia

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*A prophet was sent to Bethel, to find J at altar burning incense. Prophet calls out "oh altar, a child will be born to the tribe of Judah named Josiah, on you he will sacrifice the false prophets--human bones will be burned on you. He gives the immediate sign of the eventual fulfillment that the altar will split and ashes poured out. This prophecy was fulfilled 290 years later.

J points at prophet and calls for him to be seized. Hand freezes in that position and altar splits. J relents, asks to fix hand. God does.

"The king acknowledged God’s power and asked the man of God to ask God to restore his hand, which God graciously did. Jeroboam referred to Yahweh as your God, not “my God,” thereby testifying to his own idolatry." -BKC

J invites the prophet to stay and eat with him:

"Receiving an immediate cure for his hand’s paralysis (cf. 1Ki_13:6), the king extended a great favor and privilege to the prophet. He offered the shelter of his royal palace, a meal, and a gift. In the ancient Near East hospitality was a sacred custom. To eat a meal with an invited guest under one’s roof was to give him a promise of continuing personal protection. But the man of God wanted no treaty with wicked Jeroboam. He had been instructed by God not to accept even a meal, which would have placed him in Jeroboam’s debt." BKC

The prophet refuses to stay and eat with J, but on the way home, he is lured by an old prophet who lies to come home with him and eat. At his home, the old prophet predicts the other prophet's death for disobedience. After he leaves, killed by lion. Donkey and lion on roadside. Old prophet looks for him, puts him on donkey and buries him in his tomb. Asks his sons to put his bones near prophet too. Despite all this, J does not change, continues to allow anyone to be a priest."This story clarifies the importance of consistent and complete obedience to the Word of God, the lesson God was seeking to impress on Jeroboam and His people at that time. It also illustrates that added privilege brings increased responsibility; God dealt with the prophet who had the greater responsibility more severely than he did with the man who had less. The effects of spiritual apostasy even on God’s servants can be seen too, especially in the behavior of the older prophet." -BKC

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J2-Abijah/Abijam

 Asherah, detail from an ivory box from Mīnat al-Bayḍāʾ
Syria, c. 1300 bc; in the Louvre, Paris.

Reigned 3 years. Began reigning in Jeroboam's 18th year of rule.  Summarized as a king whose heart was not with the Lord. Went to war with Jeroboam. Gave a speech on a mountain about how Israel has gone far from the Lord by selecting unqualified priests and offering sacrifices to pagan gods. God gave Judah victory in that battle, even though they were outnumbered 2 to 1. Mentions his death, but no comment on why reign was only 3 years.


J3-Asa
Son of Abijah. Began reigning in the 20th year of Jeroboam.  Ruled for 41 years. Did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, removed poles, and prostitutes.  He even disposed his grandmother (Maacah) because she had made an obscene Asherah pole.  He burned it.  One version says he didn't destroy shrines, other said he did.  But even then, "his heart was faithful to the Lord." Asa urged people to obey God, because of this God allowed him to fortify his towns and have peace for 10 years.  Asa built up a significant army.  Ethiopian contingent came and attacked Asa with 1 million men and 300 chariots.  1 Kings says that God granted him victory despite being outnumbered...chased in Egypt.

When Baasha started to press Judah by blocking access into and out of Judah, Asa responded by seeking the help of King Ben-Hadad of Aram.   This worked and Baasha retreated, but the Lord was displeased that he sought men instead of Him.   God sent the prophet Hanani to chastize Asa.  Instead of responding with repentance, Asa jailed the prophet, put him in stocks, and began to oppress the people. 

"Asa’s plan was clever and successful, but it demonstrated lack of trust in God. For getting help from Aram’s king, the Prophet Hanani rebuked Asa (2Ch_16:7-9). Asa resented the rebuke and put Hanani in prison (2Ch_16:10). Perhaps Asa’s successes against Egypt and Israel made him think too highly of himself." -BKC

When Asa got old, his feet became diseased in the 39th year of his reign.  Even then he did not seek God, but physicians.  He died and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David in the 41st year of his reign. 

I-2 Nadab--Began reign in 2nd year of Asa's, reigned 2 years. Baasha from the tribe of Issachar, plotted his assasination while on military campaign against the Philistines. Then he killed all of Jeroboam's descendents which fulfilled the prediction of the prophet Ahijah.
I-3 Baasha--Began reign in 3rd year of Asa's, reigned in Tizrah for 24 years, did what was evil.  Assasinated Nadab and killed all of Jeroboam's descendants.  He dug his men in at Ramah and started fortifying it to restrict movement inside/outside the kingdom of Judah.  King Asa countered by removing gold and silver from the treasury and giving it to Ben-hadad of Damascus to establish a treaty with him and force Baasha to move.

God sent the prophet Hanani's son Jehu to speak against Baasha.  He foretold that his descendants who died in the city would be eaten like dogs and those in the country eaten by vultures.

From the BKC:

"Almost the same words used to describe Baasha’s future judgment (1Ki_16:4) had been given to Jeroboam by the Prophet Ahijah (cf. 1Ki_14:7, 1Ki_14:10-11) and were given later by Elijah to Ahab (1Ki_21:24). The fact that Baasha did not turn to the Lord in spite of his being God’s instrument of judgment on the house of Jeroboam suggests his complete blindness to the importance of spiritual matters in his own life and in that of his nation. Baasha committed the same sins himself. This indicates that the level of his apostasy was deep."

Interesting comment on free will vs. fate here from BKC.  It seems that both can be working in tandem...a mystery.  God has His plans, yet we are free agents within those plans.  Is it that He would have orchestrated the events differently with the same outcome if Baasha chose not to do evil or is it just that He knew Baasha would choose evil and planned in accordance of that omniscience?  It also points to the Lord's knowledge of our heart reasons.


"Even though God determined that Jeroboam’s dynasty would be destroyed and announced this beforehand through Ahijah, God held Baasha responsible for killing Jeroboam’s descendants. In doing so Baasha had not acted under God’s direction, but only to gain his own ends."  -BKC

Elah, King of Israel, ruled from Tizrah

I4-Elah- Began his reign in the 26th year of Asa's. Reigned city of Tizrah for 2 years. Zimri, the man who was over 1/2 of his chariots, plotted to kill him. When Elah was getting drunk in the palace supervisor's home, Zimri killed him.

Coronation of Zimri, who ruled Israel for 7 days

I5 Zimri- Began his reign in 27th year of Asa's...rule lasted only 7 days. Came in and assassinated all of Baasha's descendants (ironic because Baasha did the same--took the throne by force and assassinated all of Jeroboam's descendants). This fulfilled Jehu's prophecy to Baasha. The name Zimri became a byword for any man who betrayed his master (kind of like Judas or Benedict Arnold). The Isaraeli army was out attacking the Philistines at Gibbethon. When they heard Zimri had taken the kingship, they chose Omri, the commander of the army, as their new king. They attacked Tizrah and Elah enclosed himself in the citadel and burned it around him.

I6-Omri--Began reign in 31st year of Asas...reigned 12 years total, 6 in Tizrah. Half of the people wanted Omri, Israel's commander, the other half wanted Tibni, son of Ginath. Omri's supporters killed Tibni and Omri took the throne. 


"The death of Zimri (1Ki_16:17-18) did not automatically place the kingdom in Omri’s hands. Half the population including the army sided with him, but the other half preferred Tibni. Tibni’s strength can be seen in that he was able to oppose Omri successfully for six years (885-880 b.c.). During this time civil war ravaged Israel and threatened to split the Northern Kingdom into two parts. But eventually Omri overpowered Tibni and became the sole ruler (880-874 b.c.). Omri’s army support apparently proved decisive and Tibni died (1Ki_16:22), probably by being executed."  -BKC

Omri bought Shemer's hill, Samaria for 150 shekels and named in Samaria in honor of its owner. He built a city on it.

"Archeologists have unearthed evidence that Samaria was built by skillful craftsmen. The site dominated the north-south trade routes. Samaria proved to be almost impregnable as a stronghold against alien attacks because of its elevated position." -BKC

Also noteworthy:

"Omri was probably the strongest leader of the Northern Kingdom up to that time. Assyrian records dating from over a century later refer to Israel as “the land of Omri.” During Omri’s reign Ben-Hadad I, king of the Arameans in Damascus (see the chart “Kings of Aram in 1 and 2 Kings,” near 1Ki_11:23-25), continued to add to his holdings to the north of Israel. Omri’s son, Ahab, had difficulty containing these Aramean aggressors. Also the Assyrian Empire was growing stronger and farther to the northeast under Ashurnaṣirpal II (883-859; see the chart “Kings of Assyria in the Middle and the New Assyrian Kingdoms,” near Jon_1:2) and proceeded to expand its territory as far west as the Mediterranean Sea. Faced by these threats on his north, Omri was able to protect Israel well enough to attack and defeat Moab to the southeast at the same time. This victory is referred to on the famous Moabite Stone. Another of Omri’s significant achievements was his alliance with the Phoenicians which was sealed with the marriage of his son Ahab to Jezebel, a daughter of the Phoenician king, Ethbaal (cf. 1Ki_16:31)." -BKC

James Tissot, "Elijah Fed by the Ravens"