What factors led to the division of the Kingdom of Israel after the death of King Solomon?

      

Discuss the factors which led to the division of the kingdom of Israel after the death of King Solomon.

  

Answers


Maurice
(i) Rehoboam following the the advice of the young men to rule Israel more harshly than Solomon.

(ii) The readiness of Jeroboam to lead the rebellious tribes.

(iii) Long standing internal conflicts in the house of David.

(iv) The introduction of foreign gods by the wives of King Solomon.

(v) Solomon allowed his foreign wives to worship their gods, which displeased Yahweh.

(vi) The building of high places for foreign gods in Israel by King Solomon.

(vii) Failure of King Solomon to keep the Covenant with God not to worship foreign gods.

(viii) Oppression of the Israelites through over taxation introduced by King Solomon.

(ix) Introduction of forced labour in Israel by King Solomon.

(x) Rehoboam's rejection of the elders' advice to rule Israel less harshly.

OR

Factors which led to the division of the kingdom of Israel
(i) Foreign wives - Solomon had married many foreign
Princesses who bought high places ( idols) with them the worship of foreign gods to Israel.
(ii) Solomon Worship ( idols) - Solomon not only allowed his foreigners
Wives to worship their gods but also built high places of worship where his wives worshipped their gods. This displeased God.
(iii) - Solomon broke the covenant with God by
disobeying his commands not to worship foreign gods. ( 1 kings 11: 9- 10)
(iv) Over taxation - In order to support his harem of wives and
court officials, Solomon needed a lot of money and this he got by overtaxing his subjects. This was oppression.
(v) Forced labour - Solomon spent years and a lot of resources
building his own palace and the temple, projects made him introduce forced labour in Israel.
(vi) Kingdom divided redness of Jeroboam
- The over- taxation and forced labour made the Israelites dissatisfied with Solomon’s rules. The dissatisfaction among the Israelites found a spokesman in Jeroboam.
(vii) After Solomon’s death his son Rehoboam succeeded him/ rejection of the
advice from the old men
(viii) Jeroboam led a delegation of Israelites elders to Rehoboam to ask him to
rule them less harshly than his father Solomon. The bitterness of the Northern Kingdom led to the rebellion.
(ix) Rehoboam rejected the counsel of the elders who advised him to tell the ` delegation that he would rule them less harshly than Solomon.
The bitterness of the Northern Kingdom led to the rebellion
(x) He listened to the young men who told him to tell the delegation that he
would rule them more harshly than his father cared for him/ Rehoboam listened
The readiness of Jeroboam to lead a rebellion/ encouragement from prophet Elijah to lead the rebellion North
(xi) When Rehoboam told the delegation that his rule would be harsher than his father’ they were so angered and the ten northern tribes of Israel rejected him as King and rebelled against him.
(xii) The rebellious tribes chose Jeroboam as their king and only the two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained under the Kingship of Rehoboam. The redness of Jeroboam to lead rebellious tribes/ encouragement of Prophet Elijah to lead rebellion tribe.
maurice.mutuku answered the question on July 5, 2017 at 12:02


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