1 Kings 14:21

1 Kings 14:21

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.

a. ASV: 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 Jehovah had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

b. YLT: And Rehoboam son of Solomon hath reigned in Judah; a son of forty and one years is Rehoboam in his reigning, and seventeen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah chose to set His name there, out of all the tribes of Israel, and the name of his mother is Naamah the Ammonitess.

c. Amplified Bible Classic: And Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel to put His Name [and the pledge of His presence] there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

d. Septuagint: And Roboam son of Solomon ruled over Juda. Roboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in the city Jerusalem, which the Lord chose to put his name there out of all the tribes of Israel: and his mother’s name [was] Naama the Ammonitess.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that HASHEM chose of all the tribes of Israel to place His Name there. [Rehoboam’s] mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. 

1. “And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. …”

a. [And] Rehoboam [Strong: 7346 Rᵉchabʻâm, rekh-ab-awm'; from H7337 and H5971; a people has enlarged; Rechabam, an Israelite king:—Rehoboam.]

b. [the] son [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, +mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, +spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

c. [of] Solomon [Strong: 8010 Shᵉlômôh, shel-o-mo'; from H7965; peaceful; Shelomah, David's successor:—Solomon.]

d. reigned [Strong: 4427 mâlak, maw-lak'; a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:—consult, ×indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, × surely.]

e. [in] Judah [Strong: 3063 Yᵉhûwdâh, yeh-hoo-daw'; from H3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory:—Judah.]

1). Scripture says Solomon had one son and two daughters.

a). 1 Kings 11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

b). 1 Kings 4:11-15 The son of Abinadab, in all the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo, and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:

4:13 The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:

4:14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:

4:15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of Solomon to wife:

2). It is unknown who the mother or mothers of the daughters were, but the mother of Rehoboam was as 1 Kings 14:21 reveals, her name was Naamah and she was from Ammon. No doubt one of the idolatrous women he fornicated with from the surrounding nations.

a). 1 Kings 11:1, 2 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:

11:2 Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

2. “…Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem…”

a. Rehoboam [Strong: 7346 Rᵉchabʻâm, rekh-ab-awm'; from H7337 and H5971; a people has enlarged; Rechabam, an Israelite king:—Rehoboam.]

b. [was] forty [Strong: 705 ʼarbâʻîym, ar-baw-eem'; multiple of H702; forty:—forty.]

c. [and] one [Strong: 259 'echad ekh-awd' a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), + eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together,]

d. years [Strong: 8141 shâneh, shaw-neh'; (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה shânâh; from H8138; a year (as a revolution of time):— whole age, × long, old, year(× -ly).]

e. old [Strong: 1121 bên, bane; from H1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.):—afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, × in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, +mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, rebel, + robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, +spark, steward, + stranger, × surely, them of, + tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

f. [when he began to] reign [Strong: 4427 mâlak, maw-lak'; a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:—consult, ×indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, × surely.]

g. [and he] reigned [Strong: 4427 mâlak, maw-lak'; a primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:—consult, ×indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reign(-ing), rule, × surely.]

h. seven [Strong: 7651 shebaʻ, sheh'-bah; or (masculine) (שִׁבְעָה shibʻâh); from H7650; a primitive cardinal number; seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number:—(+ by) seven(-fold),-s, (-teen, -teenth), -th, times).]

i. [and] ten [Strong: 6240 ʻâsâr, aw-sawr'; for H6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also (ordinal) -teenth:—(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-, six-, thir-) teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, + twelve(-th).]

j. years [Strong: 8141 shâneh, shaw-neh'; (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה shânâh; from H8138; a year (as a revolution of time):— whole age, × long, old, year(× -ly).]

k. [in] Jerusalem [Strong: 3389 Yᵉrûwshâlaim, yer-oo-shaw-lah'-im; rarely יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yᵉrûwshâlayim; a dual (in allusion to its two main hills (the true pointing, at least of the former reading, seems to be that of H3390)); probably from (the passive participle of) H3384 and H7999; founded peaceful; Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine:—Jerusalem.]

1). Rehoboam was king for 17 years.

3. “...the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there..."

a. [the] city [Strong: 5892 ʻîyr, eer; or (in the plural) עָר ʻâr; or עָיַר ʻâyar; (Judges 10:4), from H5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):—Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

b. which [Strong: 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]

c. [the] LORD [Strong: 3068 Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw'; from H1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God:—Jehovah, the Lord.] 

d. [did] choose [Strong: 977 bâchar, baw-khar'; a primitive root; properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select:—acceptable, appoint, choose (choice), excellent, join, be rather, require.]

e. [out of] all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

f. [the] tribes [Strong: 7626 shêbeṭ, shay'-bet; from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan:—× correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.]

g. [of] Israel [Strong: 3478 * Yisra'el yis-raw-ale' from 8280 and 410; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity: --Israel.]

h. [to] put [Strong: 7760 sûwm, soom; or שִׂים sîym; a primitive root; to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically):—× any wise, appoint, bring, call (a name), care, cast in, change, charge, commit, consider, convey, determine, disguise, dispose, do, get, give, heap up, hold, impute, lay (down, up), leave, look, make (out), mark, name, × on, ordain, order, paint, place, preserve, purpose, put (on), regard, rehearse, reward, (cause to) set (on, up), shew, stedfastly, take, × tell, tread down, (over-)turn, × wholly, work.]

i. [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

j. [his] name [Strong: 8034 shêm, shame; a primitive word [perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:—+ base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.]

k. there [Strong: 8033 sham shawm a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834); there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), + thither, + whither.]

4. “…And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.”

a. [And his] mother’s [Strong: 517 ʼêm, ame; a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively [like father]):—dam, mother, × parting.]

b. name [Strong: 8034 shêm, shame; a primitive word [perhaps rather from H7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare H8064]; an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:—+ base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.]

c. [was] naamah [Strong: 5279 Naʻămâh, nah-am-aw'; feminine of H5277; pleasantness; Naamah, the name of an antediluvian woman, of an Ammonitess, and of a place in Palestine:—Naamah.]

d. [an] Ammonitess [Strong: 5985 ʻAmmôwnîyth, am-mo-neeth'; feminine of H5984; an Ammonitess:—Ammonite(-ss).]

1). This is probably the woman who led Solomon into Molech worship.

a). 1 Kings 11:5-8 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.

11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

b). Personally I do not believe that the Molech worship introduced into Israel at this time included child sacrifice, but was limited to burning incense and animal sacrifice. Although Solomon introduced Molech worship into Israel. There is a school of thought that believes at this time Molech worship in Israel did not involve child sacrifice but only the burning of incense. I personally believe at this time in Israel’s history it did not involve child sacrifice, and in later generations developed into full blown Molech worship. The first king mentioned either of Israel or Judah associated with child sacrifice, is Ahaz, in 2 Kings 16:3, approximately 200 years later, some where in his reign, from 735 -715 B.C.

c). If the Israelites had really sacrificed their children to Moloch, i.e. had slain and burned them, before the time of Ahaz, the burning would certainly have been mentioned before; for Solomon had built a high place upon the mountain to the east of Jerusalem for Moloch, the abomination of the children of Ammon, to please his foreign wives. (Keil-Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol 1, the Pentateuch (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1980), page 416-417)