Kingdom Divides Story - Bible

Solomon had done many things that displeased the Lord. He had married many foreign women. They turned his heart away from the Lord. He built altars for their gods. So the Lord said to Solomon, 'Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, I will certainly tear the kingdom away from you. I will give it to one of your subordinates. Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him. I will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant. I will also give him one tribe for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.'

Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. Then he rested with his ancestors. He was buried in the city of David his father. And Rehoboam his son succeeded him as king.

Rehoboam went to Shechem. All Israel had gone there to make him king. When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard this, he returned from Egypt. He had been fleeing from King Solomon. The people sent for Jeroboam. He and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam. They said to him, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us. Now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us. Then we will serve you.'

Rehoboam answered, 'Come back to me in three days.' So the people went away.

King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. He asked, 'How would you advise me to answer these people?'

They replied, 'If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them, they will always be your servants. Give them a favorable answer. They will be your servants always.'

But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him. He consulted the young men who had grown up with him. They were serving him. He asked them, 'What is your advice? How should we answer these people? They say, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us.''

The young men who had grown up with him replied, 'These people have said to you, 'Your father put a heavy yoke on us. Make our yoke lighter.' Tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke. I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips. I will scourge you with scorpions.''

Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam. The king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice of the elders. He followed the advice of the young men. He said, 'My father made your yoke heavy. I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips. I will scourge you with scorpions.'

When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king. They said, 'What share do we have in David? What part in Jesse's son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!'

So the Israelites went home. But as for the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah, Rehoboam still ruled over them.

King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram, who was in charge of forced labor. But all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly. They made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.

When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered all Judah and the tribe of Benjamin. He gathered a hundred and eighty thousand able young men to fight against Israel. He wanted to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam son of Solomon.

But God's word came to Shemaiah the man of God. He said to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the people of Judah and Benjamin, 'This is what the Lord says: Do not go up to fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Go home, every one of you. This is my doing.'

So they obeyed the word of the Lord and went home. They did not go to fight against Jeroboam.

The kingdom of Israel was divided. The northern kingdom kept the name Israel. It had ten tribes. The southern kingdom was called Judah. It had the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Jeroboam ruled the northern kingdom. Rehoboam ruled the southern kingdom. This happened because Solomon had turned away from the Lord. It happened because Rehoboam refused to listen to wise advice. Division and conflict came when leaders forgot God and treated people harshly. God wants leaders to be kind and wise. He wants his people to stay united in worshiping him.

The Kingdom Divides story teaches consequences of disunity. It shows that disobedience and conflict can separate people. This story highlights faith and leadership.