1 Kings 11:26-43
Jeroboam Receives a Promise
26Now Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, but he rebelled against the king,
27and this is the account of his rebellion against the king. Solomon had built the supporting terraces and repaired the gap in the wall of the city of his father David.
28Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph.
29During that time, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met Jeroboam on the road as he was going out of Jerusalem. Now Ahijah had wrapped himself in a new cloak, and the two of them were alone in the open field.
30And Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing, tore it into twelve pieces,
31and said to Jeroboam, “Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and I will give you ten tribes.
32But one tribe will remain for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.
33For they have forsaken Me to worship Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in My ways, nor done what is right in My eyes, nor kept My statutes and judgments, as Solomon’s father David did.
34Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon’s hand, because I have made him ruler all the days of his life for the sake of David My servant, whom I chose because he kept My commandments and statutes.
35But I will take ten tribes of the kingdom from the hand of his son and give them to you.
36I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.
37But as for you, I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your heart desires, and you will be king over Israel.
38If you listen to all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight in order to keep My statutes and commandments as My servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty just as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
39Because of this, I will humble David’s descendants—but not forever.’”
40Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam. But Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt, to Shishak king of Egypt, where he remained until the death of Solomon.
41As for the rest of the acts of Solomon—all that he did, as well as his wisdom—are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon?
42Thus the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
43And Solomon rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David. And his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.
Berean Standard Bible
Jeroboam son of Nebat is one of Solomon's officials. He is industrious, and Solomon appoints him over the whole labor force of the house of Joseph. The man who will later lead the northern tribes first rises inside the system Solomon has built.
Ahijah the prophet meets Jeroboam on the road and tears a new cloak into twelve pieces. He gives Jeroboam ten pieces and says the LORD will tear the kingdom from Solomon and give ten tribes to Jeroboam. The sign is dramatic, but its meaning is explained: Solomon has forsaken the LORD and worshiped other gods.
The LORD says He will not take the whole kingdom. One tribe will remain for David's sake and Jerusalem's sake. Jeroboam is promised the northern kingdom if he listens to God's commandments and walks in His ways as David did.
Solomon seeks to kill Jeroboam, so Jeroboam flees to Egypt until Solomon dies. The chapter closes with Solomon's death after forty years of reigning. The kingdom's division is not yet visible in full, but the causes are already present in worship, labor, ambition, and the failure of a king to remain faithful.
How We Know
This passage belongs to the historical and prophetic record of Israel's divided kingdom. Its named rulers, places, and prophetic actions are presented as part of that covenant history; Chronicles does not repeat every episode from Kings.
Questions
1 What position does Jeroboam hold under Solomon?
AnswerHe is an official over the labor force of the house of Joseph because Solomon recognizes his industrious work.
2 What does Ahijah do with the new cloak?
AnswerHe tears it into twelve pieces and gives Jeroboam ten, symbolizing what God will do to divide the kingdom.
3 Why will the LORD tear the kingdom from Solomon?
AnswerSolomon has forsaken the LORD, worshiped other gods, and failed to walk in God's ways as David did.
4 What condition does God give Jeroboam?
AnswerJeroboam must listen to God's commandments, walk in His ways, and do what is right before the LORD.
What This Means for Us
New leadership often grows inside an old system. A person can be gifted and industrious while still needing a clear account of the kind of ruler or worker he will become.
Promotion is not the same as character. When responsibility increases, ask what obedience will govern it, whose trust you carry, and whether ambition is beginning to treat people as tools.
Prayer
Lord, prepare us for every increase in responsibility. Give us character stronger than ambition, compassion for people affected by our decisions, and courage to walk in Your ways when power becomes available. Amen.