Rehoboam

Rehoboam was a king of Israel and Judah, son of Solomon and Naamah, an Ammonite woman. He ascended to the throne around 931 BCE. His reign is primarily remembered for the division of the united kingdom of Israel into two separate kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

According to the Hebrew Bible, Rehoboam's harsh response to the people's plea for relief from his father's heavy taxation led to the secession of the northern tribes. The people of Israel demanded a lighter yoke, and when Rehoboam threatened them with an even heavier one, ten of the twelve tribes revolted and established their own kingdom, the Kingdom of Israel, under Jeroboam I. Rehoboam remained king over the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, forming the Kingdom of Judah.

During Rehoboam's reign, the Kingdom of Judah faced military conflict with the Kingdom of Israel, as well as an invasion by Shishak, a pharaoh of Egypt. Rehoboam's reign is generally depicted negatively in the biblical narrative, characterized by his deviation from the ways of David and Solomon and his embrace of idolatry. He reigned for seventeen years and was succeeded by his son, Abijah.