Judah followed Israel into captivity over one hundred years later but at the hands of Babylon. the kingdom split into a northern kingdom, which retained the name Israel and a southern kingdom called Judah, so named after the tribe of Judah that dominated the kingdom. Have you read about the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel? Israel had seen division before. Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, also asserts he not only financially supported but also worshipped the foreign gods of his wives (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 8, Chapter 7, Section 5). Solomon began to rebel against God. Joseph’s lineage also would rule, that is Joseph and Benjamin, which were Joseph’s children, Ephraim and Manasseh. BibleStudyMinistry.com (BSM), believes the Bible is one assimilated account leading and pointing to Jesus the Messiah. It’s always a pleasure to have you. Not before the elder, “no, no, no,” therefore Jacob ended up marrying them both. After hi… }(document, "script", "aweber-wjs-ym0tnlwg9")); Or do it here on Google – Facebook or Twitter. Israel was later scattered in captivity by Assyria. Judah was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, which had basically merged with the Tribe of Benjamin by the time of Solomon. The rest was ruled by Solomon’s son Rehoboam.He reigned over the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi (who served in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem). Welcome to Matthew…. Solomon, reflecting on his life, stated that not one of his 1,000 wives proved to be virtuous or a positive influence on him (Ecclesiastes 7:26 - 28). The king's older advisers, who counselled his father, suggested he listen to the people and lighten their tax load. God changed his name to Israel, which means “one who struggles with God” in Genesis 32:28after Jacob wrestled with an angel. I will find it all. Praise the LORD, Richard, let us all continue to grow in knowledge and wisdom from the LORD. We are glad the Holy Spirit opened the scripture respectable way. Within a century of Solomon 's death, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah were left as tiny little states - no bigger than Connecticut - on the larger map of the Middle East. I always read stories about Israelites but your explanation has increase my understanding. Leah was the older daughter and the first and wanted to actually marry Jacob. They propose that if the king lowers the incredibly heavy tax burden on them then they would loyally serve him as they did his father. The kingdom was split into two, the kingdom of Judah and the kingdom of Israel. The northern kingdom was ruled by the tribe of Ephraim through Jeroboam. He is approached, at his coronation, by Jeroboam and a delegation of Israel's elders. […] is because the kingdom was torn in two; ten tribes went north to Samaria under Jeroboam, and Judah remained in the south under Rehoboam […], I’m teaching a class where the Kingdom is divided, northern/southern. Unfortunately, Saul could not follow God’s Word wholly, and the kingdom went to the children of Judah. He rules the southern kingdom of Judah. We are happy you were edified by the Spirit, continue in grace in Jesus’ name. The Bible and the whole history of the world we live in would look different because the prophecy of going into captivity would not have taken place. The tribe of Benjamin also came back to partner with Judah. For hundreds of years, Israel was a unified nation under King Saul, Israel’s first king. My class will want to know where in the Bible this info is found. The king, in order to please his many pagan wives, built various altars and "high places" for them to worship their false deities (1Kings 11:8, 2Kings 23:13, Nehemiah 13:26). Nevertheless, his father-in-law didn’t want to give the younger daughter in marriage. 1 Kings 12:24. Rehoboam became king of the 12 tribes of Israel when his father (Solomon) died in about 931BC. Ashtoreth (aka Astarte), the goddess of the Sidonians. Get weekly Bible Lessons emailed to you in video, audio, and in text form. The nation of Israel began with the patriarch Jacob, son of Isaac, and twin to Esau. The younger advisers, who grew up with Rehoboam, took for granted the power of the tribes to become independent if they so wished. The nation split into the northern (Israel) and southern (Judah) kingdoms in 931 BC. But this is why Israel split into two kingdoms. The tribe of Benjamin also came back to partner with Judah. The kingdom of Judah was only left to themselves. Were helpful in what i needed to know THANK YOU! Had Solomon and all the kings of Judah stayed intact and steadfast on God not only would the kingdom not have become split; but Israel probably would not have gone into captivity. There are two answers, depending on how you look at it. Why Did Israel Split into Two Kingdoms? Rehoboam was foolish, and Jeroboam was ambitious. Your Online Bible Study Supplement Source. May the ALMIGHTY continue to increase your understanding. Jeroboam controlled the northern kingdom of Israel which included 10 tribes. Additionally, all men in Israel (including Solomon) were expressly forbidden to marry "strange" women who were idolaters or who did not choose to convert to worshipping the true God (as did Rahab the harlot and Ruth). However, these things were prophesied from the very beginning and have played out. May the Lord continue to bless you to bless us. God said he would take the kingdom away from the house of David but because of a promise made to David, he left him a tribe of Judah and Benjamin as well as the Levites. Add Comment. In a prophecy from Jacob to Joseph, Jacob told that Joseph would receive a double portion! I pray this has helped you in some fashion today, and may God bless you and keep you in the name of Jesus Christ. God used the issue of taxation to complete his punishment of the foolish king (1Kings 12:15, 22 - 24). Jeroboam was one of Solomon’s former officials, an Ephraimite, and king of Israel in the north (1 Kings 11:26). He also allowed several enemies to raise up civil unrest against him (1Kings 11:14 - 37), one of which was Jeroboam. Your email address will not be published. The rulers over God's people were not to multiply women to themselves (verse 17). The Tribes Benjamin and Judah did not split. neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to your own house, David. You are very knowledgeable and the gift to explain is greatly upon you! Jacob eventually had twelve sons who later became the twelve tribes of Israel, most predominantly Judah and Benjamin. In addition, Jacob would adopt both of his children as part of the 12 tribes of Israel. Solomon's son Rehoboam took the throne in Jerusalem.But he lacked the skill to keep Israel united as previous kings had done, nor would he listen to advice. Who are the Gentiles in the Scripture | Bible Study Ministry, Genesis 41 Joseph Interprets the Dream of Pharaoh, Jacob Dreamed of Angels of GOD Ascending and Descending, Ole Copycat Esau Married the Daughter of Ishmael, Isaac to Jacob: Don’t Wife the Daughters of Canaan, Genesis 39: Joseph Put Through the Trials of Life, Isaac Blessed Jacob the Day Everything Changed, Esau’s Marriage a Grief to Isaac and Rebekah, Genesis 38: Judah Tamar Pretends to Be a Harlot, The Birthright Transaction of Jacob and Esau. When Solomon's successor Rehoboam dealt tactlessly with economic complaints of the northern tribes, in about 930 BCE (there are differences of opinion as to the actual year) the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah split into two kingdoms: the northern Kingdom of Israel, which included the cities of Shechem and Samaria, I find this very hard. We’re also on Instagram…, Your explanation has been very helpful. In response, the people revolted against Rehoboam’s rule and appointed Jeroboam, of the tribe of Ephraim, as their ruler. Blessings, Elder Ishe. This is why the Kingdom split up and from that time there was a northern kingdom and the southern kingdom. Praise the ALMIGHTY brother Jay; thank you for being here and your comment. ReferencesBible Knowledge CommentaryHolman Concise Bible CommentaryKeil and Delitzsch CommentaryWillmington's Complete Guide to Bible Knowledge, God, for the first 355 years the children of Israel lived in. This has been helpful WE’RE studying the 12 tribes. His first wife Naamah, married before he ascended the throne, was an Ammonite (1Kings 14:21) who gave birth to Rehoboam. ‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children … Instead, it was passed down to the firstborn of the second wife, which properly rested on Joseph. One of the abominable rites of his worship was the sacrifice of children by burning them alive (known as "passing through the fire," see Leviticus 18:21, 20:1 - 5, 2Kings 23:10). var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; The king's insulting and hostile answer to the elders of Israel solidified their resolve to leave the unified kingdom. It turned from one kingdom into two. The first short split between Israel and Judah At Saul’s death, the tribe of Judah made David their king, but the other tribes of Israel followed Saul’s son Ishbosheth. Solomon's indulgence in both pagan women and idolatry angered the Lord, especially when he had appeared twice to him (1Kings 11:9 - 10). According to the Bible, The Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel broke apart at the succession of King Rehoboam because of a dispute over taxation. elder Peoles thank you for your comment and it is great to meet you! Kingdom of Israel after Solomon's reign-northern kingdom ruled by Solomon's servant, Jeroboam ... Solomon's death caused the split in which then the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians bringing exiles to intermarry with new people. His indulgence in foreign women led him on a path that would ultimately punish all ancient Israel by causing the nation to split in two and robbing his descendants of a unified throne. You will be happy to read chapters 11 and 12 of 1 Kings for details of the story or 2 Chronicles chapters 10 and 11! For starters, Jacob married Leah and Rachel the two sisters, although he really wanted Rachel. A pleasure to assist Linda Joy, thank you for being here, many blessings to you and your study group. So Israel departed to their tents. After Solomon's death, however, the division became pronounced and longstanding. 1 Kings 12: 25-33 Northern Israel is ruled by Jeroboam and he starts the Golden Calf cult that will harm the Israelites relationship with God for many years. This was the time when Solomon began to fall out of favor with God for his behavior. The king would ultimately mimic other rulers and marry a staggering number of women (700 wives, 300 concubines). Rehoboam, at the age of 41, assumes the throne of Israel in 930 B.C. The northern kingdom was conquered and deported by Assyria in 722 BC, and Judah later fell to the Babylonians, with the final of three exiles coming in 586 BC. Many blessings to you as you minister. He wanted to divide Israel and Judah into two separate kingdoms with two separate histories—a situation that exists to this day. When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam (c. 930-913 B.C.E.) Molech (Milcom), the evil deity of the Ammonites. God used the issue of taxation to complete his punishment of the foolish king (1Kings 12:15, 22 - 24). The kingdom of Judah was only left to themselves. (function(d, s, id) { After the secession, King Rehoboam wanted to attack the seceding northern tribes in order to punish and re-unite with them but was told by the Prophet Shemaiah, His sin was the reason for the division of the united kingdom. Amen! Surprisingly, the cause of ancient Israel splitting in two lies at the feet of King Solomon, the man blessed with unmatched wisdom and understanding at the start of his reign (1Kings 3:4 - 9, 2Chronicles 1:3 - 10)! “Now there was a long war between the house of … His indulgence in foreign women led him on a path that would ultimately punish all ancient Israel by causing the nation to split in two and robbing his descendants of a unified throne. Around 20 years after Israel’s final fall, the nation of Judah, following repeated cycles of idolatry and reformation, was invaded by Assyria as well, reducing Judah "to a shadow of its former self, at least two thirds of the population perishing or being carried away captive" ("Judah," The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1980, Vol. That was the reason the kingdom was officially broken. Well, once Benjamin lost the kingdom to David, the tribe of Judah became the headquarters of the kingdom of Israel. -territory included tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Click to see full answer Just so, why did Israel split into 2 kingdoms? The city of Jerusalem remained the capital of the Judean kingdom, and the city of Samaria became the capital of Israel . But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel (2 Samuel 19:41-43). Thank you for opening this scripture and bible study in such an exemplary way.This has increased my knowledge on the Topic. Nave's Topical Index The twelve tribes of Israel come from 12 sons of Jacob - Ruben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin. Jeroboam, the man who led the revolt from the kingdom Judah, set up his own worship system for the 11 tribes, which essentially made all of the tribe of Levi to return to Judah. The southern kingdom was run by the house of David the tribe of Judah. Around the time when the kingdom was passed on to Solomon, a lot of contention began between the tribe. Bless the LORD Jean. This question, why did Israel split into two kingdoms, is one that is not so easy to grasp. When Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, would not lessen the tax burden, 11 tribes left the kingdom of Judah. Required fields are marked *. Thank you for joining us today. js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/95/514808195.js"; Solomon was completely smitten and in love with foreign women (those who were not citizens in Israel). Jeroboam, the man who led the revolt against the kingdom Judah, set up his own worship system for the 11 tribes. Sign up today! The ‘true’ Israel which God set up is still split today, meaning the twelve tribes, even though the Nation State of Israel today in the middleast is known to the world as Israel. Hi Christy, thank you for your comment and suggestion. Answer: Throughout their history in the Promised Land, the children of Israel struggled with conflict among the tribes. When it came to love, he acted anything but wise. On great feasts the inhabitants of the Israelite kingdom went to worship God in the Temple in Jerusalem which did not please King Jeroboam. According to the Hebrew Bible, the kingdom of Judah resulted from the break-up of the United Kingdom of Israel (1020 to about 930 BCE) after the northern tribes refused to accept Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, as their king. succeeded him as king of Judah, apparently without incident (1 Kings 11:42). The tribes made up the identity of the nation of Israel and were important to God's plan. When Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, would not lessen the tax burden, 11 tribes left the kingdom of Judah. The spiritual reason why the kingdoms split into was that they would not serve God fully. Thank you. She was given the rights of the first wife (even though she was married by deception). Ten of the tribes formed the new Kingdom of Israel with Jeroboam as its first ruler. 1 A Nation Split in Two. The Hebrew empire eventually collapses, Moab successfully revolts against Judah, and Ammon successfully secedes from Israel. All my life I've been told that the tribe of Benjamin remained with the faithful tribe of Judah. Rehoboam was left ruling over Judah, the tribe of Benjamin (whose territory included the capital city of Jerusalem) and the Levites who served God. Scripture also seems to indicate that Solomon in his old age also indulged, at what level is unknown, in worshipping the following pagan gods as well as the true God of Israel (1Kings 11:5 - 7, 10, 2Kings 23:13). Chemosh, the pagan sun god of war worshipped by the Moabites. Thus the Jewish people split into two monarchies: the Northern Kingdom, known as the Kingdom of Israel, or the Ten Tribes; and the Southern Kingdom, encompassing the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. This became why the birthright was not passed to Reuben as the firstborn. fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); Glory be to God. Also to His Kingdom on the Earth, and His Royal Family. Thanks for being here; let us know if there are other ways or things we may serve you! This is the clearest explanation of the division I have ever read. A larger kingdom involving Israel in the north probably earlier than it did for Judah in the south and the reason why is because Judah was quite a bit less developed and poorer than the central region of Efraim, which became the home of the kingdom of Israel. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; The problem was that doing so sinned against God (Deuteronomy 17:18). I only wish you had included scripture references. It wasn't that Solomon could not afford countless wives, as he was ridiculously wealthy (even more so than his righteous father David). Solomon’s Successor: Rehobaom. In human terms, Rehoboam and Jeroboam share the responsibility. This led to war between Judah and the rest of Israel. David’s son, Solomon, was the last of the kings of the united kingdom. Answer: Rehoboam and Jeroboam were both kings reigning in Israel’s divided kingdom. js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; So when all Israel saw that the king listened not to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? Question: "Why was Israel divided into the Southern Kingdom and Northern Kingdom?" 1 Kings 12: 20-24 Rehoboam and Jeroboam initiates an ongoing war between Israel and Judah. Your email address will not be published. Now both of these women produced children for Jacob. The following article is reprinted with permission from Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple, edited by Hershel Shanks (Biblical Archaeology Society). Your comments have helped me! Hi Lorna, you are very welcome. After the death of King Solomon (sometime around 930 B.C.) She was a deity of sex and fertility that involved licentious rites and worship of the heavens. The disunity went back all the way to the patriarch Jacob, who presided over a … At least they did not split in the end though they had previously temporarily separated for about 2 years after the death of King Saul. Thank you, Praise God sister Barbara, continue your study in grace and understanding. This is why the first king and kingdom of Israel rested on a Benjamite named Saul. Sometimes some of the histories in the Bible escapes some…, Need to Know the Names of the 12 Tribes of…, Studies to Help and Make You a Bible Study Leader…, In this chapter, our species took a detour that has…, Chapter 2 of Genesis begins with the report of the…, The seven churches of Revelation described in Revelation chapters…, Genesis Chapter 14 Summary Genesis Chapter 14 Summary outlines some…, Genesis Chapter 4 Summary Genesis chapter 4 commences with Adam…, Read Updated Version of Genesis Chapter 12 In chapter…, Can you say New Testament chapter summaries? The punishment for such grievous and public sins was to split the ancient kingdom by tearing ten of Israel's tribes away from Solomon's ruling dynasty (1Kings 11:11, 29 - 32). This essentially made all of the tribe of Levi to return to Judah. | Bible Study Ministry Sometimes some of the histories in the Bible escapes some Bible students as they study. The Lord also decided, for the sake of David, that the separation would take place during the reign of Solomon's son Rehoboam (1Kings 11:11 - 13). Simply so, why did Judah split from Israel? At the return of Jesus, He will bind them together into one branch and make them one nation under Him and under his servant David, as he promised King David. They recommended he threaten them, like a dictator, with even higher taxes and harsher penalties as a means of quelling any thoughts of rebellion (1Kings 12). After the death of Solomon, the kingdom was split into two. The United Monarchy (Hebrew: הממלכה המאוחדת ‎) is the name given to the Israelite kingdom of Israel and Judah, during the reigns of Saul, David and Solomon, as depicted in the Hebrew Bible.This is traditionally dated between 1047 BCE and 930 BCE. I am currently studying the Prophet Micah This is a good lesson of knowledge that really help me. The southern kingdom consisted only of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and thus became the … The split of the nations. Rachel’s children included Joseph and Benjamin, and Leah’s children included Judah, Levi, and Reuben. According to the Bible, King David reigned over a large territory and his son Solomon over an even larger one. After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom was divided in two. If we look at it in the physical, we can understand why the kingdom was split into two. In this way the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two: Judah and Israel. This was because they would strongly influence their husbands to turn their hearts away from fully serving the Lord (Deuteronomy 7:1 - 4, 17:17). His second wife, married soon after becoming ruler, was the daughter of Egypt's Pharaoh (1Kings 3:1). Rehoboam was one of Solomon’s sons and king of Judah in the south (1 Kings 11:43). They were named after the land called Samaria. So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day" (1-Kings 12:19). Continue in grace. Wonderful, thank you for your contribution Peoles, bless you in the name of the Lord. This was done because of rebellion towards God. Reuben transgressed against Jacob (Genesis 35:22). The nation of Israel became two separate kingdoms. , at the hands of Babylon resolve to leave the unified kingdom being and... To you and your comment opening this scripture and Bible study in in! Question, why did Judah split from Israel between Judah and Benjamin, which were Joseph ’ s included! 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