Atomic Bible

First king of the northern kingdom of Israel.

Jeroboam

Named in 81 verses across 3 books, first in 1 Kings 11:26.

יָֽרָבְעָםJeroboam

The name means “he that opposes the people.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869

Father
Nebat
Mother
Zeruah
Children
Abijah, Nadab
People
Israel

About Jeroboam Written by AI

Jeroboam I was the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the united monarchy split following the reign of King Solomon. He was an Ephraimite and a former official in Solomon's administration. The prophet Ahijah predicted that Jeroboam would rule over ten tribes of Israel, and when Solomon sought to kill him, Jeroboam fled to Egypt. After Solomon's death, Jeroboam returned and led the northern tribes in a revolt against Solomon's son, Rehoboam. He established his capital in Shechem and set up two golden calves in Bethel and Dan to prevent the people from worshipping in Jerusalem. This act of idolatry became known as the "sin of Jeroboam" and was condemned by the prophets. Jeroboam reigned for 22 years, during which he constantly fought against the southern kingdom of Judah. He was succeeded by his son Nadab. The kings of Israel who followed Jeroboam continued in his idolatrous practices, leading to the eventual downfall and exile of the northern kingdom.

Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.

Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897

This entry is on the name Jeroboam, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.

Increase of the people. (1.) The son of Nebat (1 Kings 11:26-39), “an Ephrathite,” the first king of the ten tribes, over whom he reigned twenty-two years (B.C. 976-945). He was the son of a widow of Zereda, and while still young was promoted by Solomon to be chief superintendent of the “burnden”, i.e., of the bands of forced labourers. 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 having been discovered, he fled to Egypt (1 Kings 11:29-40), where he remained for a length of time under the protection of Shishak I. On the death of Solomon, the ten tribes, having revolted, sent to invite him to become their king. The conduct of Rehoboam favoured the designs of Jeroboam, and he was accordingly proclaimed “king of Israel” (1 Kings 12: 1-20). He rebuilt and fortified Shechem as the capital of his kingdom. He at once adopted means to perpetuate the division thus made between the two parts of the kingdom, and erected at Dan and Bethel, the two extremities of his kingdom, “golden calves,” which he set up as symbols of Jehovah, enjoining the people not any more to go up to worship at 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.

While he was engaged in offering incense at Bethel, a prophet from Judah appeared before him with a warning message from the Lord. Attempting to arrest the prophet for his bold words of defiance, his hand was “dried up,” and the altar before which he stood was rent asunder. At his urgent entreaty his “hand was restored him again” (1 Kings 13:1-6, 9; comp. 2 Kings 23:15); but the miracle made no abiding impression on him. His reign was one of constant war with the house of Judah. He died soon after his son Abijah (1 Kings 14:1-18).

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(2.) Jeroboam II., the son and successor of Jehoash, and the fourteenth king of Israel, over which he ruled for forty-one years, B.C. 825-784 (2 Kings 14:23). He followed the example of the first Jeroboam in keeping up the worship of the golden calves (2 Kings 14:24). His reign was contemporary with those of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:23) and Uzziah (15:1), kings of Judah. He was victorious over the Syrians (13:4; 14:26, 27), and extended Israel to its former limits, from “the entering of Hamath to the sea of the plain” (14:25; Amos 6:14). His reign of forty-one years was the most prosperous that Israel had ever known as yet. With all this outward prosperity, however, iniquity widely prevailed in the land (Amos 2:6-8; 4:1; 6:6; Hos. 4:12-14). The prophets Hosea (1:1), Joel (3:16; Amos 1:1, 2), Amos (1:1), and Jonah (2 Kings 14:25) lived during his reign. He died, and was buried with his ancestors (14:29). He was succeeded by his son Zachariah (q.v.).

His name occurs in Scripture only in 2 Kings 13:13; 14:16, 23, 27, 28, 29; 15:1, 8; 1 Chr. 5:17; Hos. 1:1; Amos 1:1; 7:9, 10, 11. In all other passages it is Jeroboam the son of Nebat that is meant.

M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.

GenesisMatthewRevelation

Where the Bible names him

  1. 1 Kings 11:26

    Now Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, but he rebelled against the king,

  2. 1 Kings 11:28

    Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.

  3. 1 Kings 11:29

    During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field.

  4. 1 Kings 11:31

    and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes.

  5. 1 Kings 11:40

    Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, where he remained until the death of Solomon.

  6. 1 Kings 12:2

    When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since.

  7. 1 Kings 12:3

    So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said,

  8. 1 Kings 12:12

    After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, since the king had said, “Come back to me on the third day.”

  9. 1 Kings 12:15

    So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite.

  10. 1 Kings 12:20

    When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

  11. 1 Kings 12:25

    Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. And from there he went out and built Penuel.

  12. 1 Kings 12:26

    Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom might revert to the house of David.

  13. 1 Kings 12:32

    And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had set up, and he installed priests in Bethel for the high places he had set up.

  14. 1 Kings 13:1

    Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.

  15. 1 Kings 13:4

    Now when King Jeroboam, who was at the altar in Bethel, heard the word that the man of God had cried out against it, he stretched out his hand and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward him withered, so that he could not pull it back.

  16. 1 Kings 13:33

    Even after these events, Jeroboam did not repent of his evil ways, but again he appointed priests for the high places from every class of people. He ordained anyone who desired to be a priest of the high places.

  17. 1 Kings 13:34

    And this was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its extermination and destruction from the face of the earth.

  18. 1 Kings 14:1

    At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill,

  19. 1 Kings 14:2

    and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who spoke about my kingship over this people.

  20. 1 Kings 14:4

    Jeroboam’s wife did as instructed; she arose and went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.

  21. 1 Kings 14:5

    But the LORD had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill. You are to say such and such to her, because when she arrives, she will be disguised.”

  22. 1 Kings 14:6

    So when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet entering the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised? For I have been sent to you with bad news.

  23. 1 Kings 14:7

    Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over My people Israel.

  24. 1 Kings 14:10

    Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone!

  25. 1 Kings 14:11

    Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.’ For the LORD has spoken.

  26. 1 Kings 14:13

    All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. For this is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will receive a proper burial, because only in him has the LORD, the God of Israel, found any good in the house of Jeroboam.

  27. 1 Kings 14:14

    Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day—yes, even today!

  28. 1 Kings 14:16

    So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”

  29. 1 Kings 14:17

    Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and departed for Tirzah, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died.

  30. 1 Kings 14:19

    As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he waged war and how he reigned, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

  31. 1 Kings 14:20

    And the length of Jeroboam’s reign was twenty-two years, and he rested with his fathers, and his son Nadab reigned in his place.

  32. 1 Kings 14:30

    There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days.

  33. 1 Kings 15:1

    In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah,

  34. 1 Kings 15:6

    And there was war between the houses of Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of Abijam’s life.

  35. 1 Kings 15:7

    As for the rest of the acts of Abijam, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

  36. 1 Kings 15:9

    In the twentieth year of Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Asa became king of Judah,

  37. 1 Kings 15:25

    In the second year of Asa’s reign over Judah, Nadab son of Jeroboam became king of Israel, and he reigned two years.

  38. 1 Kings 15:29

    As soon as Baasha became king, he struck down the entire household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone who breathed, but destroyed them all according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,

  39. 1 Kings 15:30

    because of the sins Jeroboam had committed and had caused Israel to commit, and because he had provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger.

  40. 1 Kings 15:34

    And Baasha did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin, which he had caused Israel to commit.

And 41 more

1 Kings 16:2, 16:3, 16:7, 16:19, 16:26, 16:31, 21:22, 22:52

2 Kings 3:3, 9:9, 10:29, 10:31, 13:2, 13:6, 13:11, 14:24, 15:9, 15:18, 15:24, 15:28, 17:21, 17:22, 23:15

2 Chronicles 9:29, 10:2, 10:3, 10:12, 10:15, 11:4, 11:14, 12:15, 13:1, 13:2, 13:3, 13:4, 13:6, 13:8, 13:13, 13:15, 13:19, 13:20

From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.