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Also called
Roboam
Name means
Enlarger of the people (commonly given)
Role
Son of Solomon; first king of Judah
When
c. 930-913 BC (traditional)

What they did

Rejected the counsel of the old men and answered the people roughly, and ten tribes broke away under Jeroboam. He reigned over Judah and Benjamin in Jerusalem.

Why it matters: the purpose of their role

The division fulfilled God's word against Solomon's idolatry, yet God kept a lamp for David in Jerusalem; Rehoboam is named in the line of Christ.

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. 2 Chronicles 12:14 (KJV)

Bible references

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: 1 Kings 12:8 (KJV)
And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him; And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat. So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents. 1 Kings 12:13-16 (KJV)
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 1 Kings 14:21 (KJV)
And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD. 2 Chronicles 12:14 (KJV)
And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; Matthew 1:7 (KJV)

Family

Father
Solomon
Mother
Naamah the Ammonitess
Spouse(s)
Mahalath, Maachah, and others
Children
Abijah and others

Had eighteen wives and sixty concubines (2 Chronicles 11:21).