King Rehoboam

Rehoboam son of Solomon was king of Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city of the Lord chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which he put his Name. His mother's name was Naamah; she was a Ammonite. 1 Kings 14:21 NIV. In his early reign the Israelites asked him how he was going to treat them, Rehoboam asked the wise men about this, they said that he should treat them kindly, but his close friends said he should whip them with scorpions. Sadly, King Rehoboam chose to follow the advice of his friends. This is what King Rehoboam told the people after he make his decision, "My father make your yoke heavy; I will make it heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions". 1 Kings 11:14 NIV. After this all of the tribes of Israel left Rehoboam and went to follow King Jeroboam. One of his sons were Abijah.