Boy Old & New Testament Known
Rehoboam
who sets the people at liberty
רְחַבְעָם Ῥοβοάμ re.chav.am
Rehoboam (Hebrew: רְחַבְעָם, re.chav.am) means “who sets the people at liberty”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 43 verses across 4 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Abihail in 2 Chronicles 11.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Rehoboam
son of Solomon; spouse of Maacah; father of Abijah
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 43 across 4 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Both
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 1 Kings 11:40 |
| Last appears | Matthew 1:7 |
| Cross-references | 536 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Basemath attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Solomon.
- Ben-abinadab attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Solomon.
- Taphath attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Solomon.
- Naamah co-occurrence Appears with Naamah in 1 Kings 14.
- Shishak co-occurrence Appears with Shishak in 2 Chronicles 12.
- Abijah co-occurrence Appears with Abijah in 1 Chronicles 3.
- Shemaiah co-occurrence Appears with Shemaiah in 2 Chronicles 12.
- Jerimoth co-occurrence Appears with Jerimoth in 2 Chronicles 11.
Origin & meaning
A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchyand Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.11.43;
son of: Solomon (H8010) and Naamah (H5279A);
brother of: Taphath (H2955) and Basemath (H1315); married to Maacah (H4601K), Mahalath (H4258H) and Abihail (H0032J);
father of: Abijah (H0029I), Jeush (H3266K), Shemariah (H8114H), Zaham (H2093), Attai (H6262I), Ziza (H2124H) and Shelomith (H8019)
Also named: Rhoboam (Ῥοβοάμ "Rehoboam" G4497)
§ Rehoboam = "a people has enlarged"
son of Solomon and the 1st king of Judah after the split up of the kingdom of Israel
Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and the first king of Judah after the division of the kingdom.
The biblical story
Rehoboam was the son of King Solomon and Naamah, an Ammonite woman (1Ki.14.21, 31). He became king of Judah after Solomon's death (1Ki.11.43). When Rehoboam went to Shechem to be crowned, the people, led by Jeroboam, asked him to lighten the heavy yoke that Solomon had placed on them (1Ki.12.1-4). Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father, but he rejected their advice to be a servant to the people (1Ki.12.6-8). Instead, he followed the counsel of the young men who had grown up with him and threatened to make the people's yoke even heavier (1Ki.12.9-14). As a result, the ten northern tribes rebelled against Rehoboam and made Jeroboam their king, leaving only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin loyal to Rehoboam (1Ki.12.16-20). Rehoboam intended to fight against the northern tribes, but God sent a prophet to stop him (1Ki.12.21-24). During Rehoboam's reign, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the temple and the royal palace (1Ki.14.25-28; 2Ch.12.1-12). Rehoboam did evil in the eyes of the Lord and allowed idol worship to spread in Judah (1Ki.14.22-24). He reigned for 17 years and was succeeded by his son Abijah (1Ki.14.21, 31; 2Ch.12.16). Rehoboam's story is a cautionary tale about the consequences of foolish decisions and disobedience to God.
Key verses
Rehoboam appears in 42 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
1 Kings 11:43 -
And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.
1 Kings 12:1 -
That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,
1 Kings 12:3 -
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
1 Kings 12:6 -
So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
1 Kings 12:12
Show all 42 references
1 Kings (17)
- 1 Kings 11:43
- 1 Kings 12:1
- 1 Kings 12:3
- 1 Kings 12:6
- 1 Kings 12:12
- 1 Kings 12:17
- 1 Kings 12:18
- 1 Kings 12:21
- 1 Kings 12:23
- 1 Kings 12:27
- 1 Kings 14:21
- 1 Kings 14:25
- 1 Kings 14:27
- 1 Kings 14:29
- 1 Kings 14:30
- 1 Kings 14:31
- 1 Kings 15:6
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 3:10
2 Chronicles (23)
- 2 Chronicles 9:31
- 2 Chronicles 10:1
- 2 Chronicles 10:3
- 2 Chronicles 10:6
- 2 Chronicles 10:12
- 2 Chronicles 10:13
- 2 Chronicles 10:17
- 2 Chronicles 10:18
- 2 Chronicles 11:1
- 2 Chronicles 11:3
- 2 Chronicles 11:5
- 2 Chronicles 11:17
- 2 Chronicles 11:18
- 2 Chronicles 11:21
- 2 Chronicles 11:22
- 2 Chronicles 12:1
- 2 Chronicles 12:2
- 2 Chronicles 12:5
- 2 Chronicles 12:10
- 2 Chronicles 12:13
- 2 Chronicles 12:15
- 2 Chronicles 12:16
- 2 Chronicles 13:7
Matthew (1)
- Matthew 1:7