Rehoboam ruled over those who remained in Judah while the northern tribes formed a separate kingdom under Jeroboam.
1 Kings 12:17 says, “But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.” (v.17) This occurs at the moment when the united kingdom of Israel, which had flourished under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, splits into two separate kingdoms. After King Solomon’s death in 931 BC, his son Rehoboam inherits the throne, but his harsh policies toward the northern tribes cause them to reject the house of David and form their own nation under King Jeroboam. By contrast, the population of Judah, located in the southern region and centered around the city of Jerusalem, remains loyal to Rehoboam, fulfilling the verse we see here.The cities of Judah were geographically located in the south, and Jerusalem, their capital, was known for containing the temple—the central site of worship originally built by Solomon. Rehoboam, as Solomon’s son, could trace his lineage back to King David, the ruler who had established Jerusalem as the nation’s spiritual and political center. This tribal and ancestral tie is one reason why Judah stayed under Rehoboam’s leadership. Meanwhile, the ten northern tribes, feeling oppressed by heavy taxation and forced labor, chose to anoint Jeroboam, culminating in a permanent national division (sometimes referred to as Israel for the northern kingdom and Judah for the southern kingdom).Rehoboam thus retained his rule over the tribe of Judah and later Benjamin, fulfilling God’s promise that the Davidic line would continue in Jerusalem. Although the kingdom was divided, the LORD’s overarching design was still at work. Future kings, prophets, and even the birth of Jesus Christ would emerge from this southern kingdom of Judah, preserving the royal lineage that began with David (Luke 2:4).
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1 Kings 12:17 meaning
1 Kings 12:17 says, “But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.” (v.17) This occurs at the moment when the united kingdom of Israel, which had flourished under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, splits into two separate kingdoms. After King Solomon’s death in 931 BC, his son Rehoboam inherits the throne, but his harsh policies toward the northern tribes cause them to reject the house of David and form their own nation under King Jeroboam. By contrast, the population of Judah, located in the southern region and centered around the city of Jerusalem, remains loyal to Rehoboam, fulfilling the verse we see here.The cities of Judah were geographically located in the south, and Jerusalem, their capital, was known for containing the temple—the central site of worship originally built by Solomon. Rehoboam, as Solomon’s son, could trace his lineage back to King David, the ruler who had established Jerusalem as the nation’s spiritual and political center. This tribal and ancestral tie is one reason why Judah stayed under Rehoboam’s leadership. Meanwhile, the ten northern tribes, feeling oppressed by heavy taxation and forced labor, chose to anoint Jeroboam, culminating in a permanent national division (sometimes referred to as Israel for the northern kingdom and Judah for the southern kingdom).Rehoboam thus retained his rule over the tribe of Judah and later Benjamin, fulfilling God’s promise that the Davidic line would continue in Jerusalem. Although the kingdom was divided, the LORD’s overarching design was still at work. Future kings, prophets, and even the birth of Jesus Christ would emerge from this southern kingdom of Judah, preserving the royal lineage that began with David (Luke 2:4).