1 Kings 14:21

“And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah, etc.] Over the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, when Jeroboam reigned over the other ten: Rehoboam [was] forty one years old when he began to reign; being born one year before his father Solomon began to reign, and so it might have been expected he would have begun his reign more wisely than he did: and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem; not half so long as his father and grandfather, being neither so wise nor so good a prince as either of them: the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there; to have a temple built for him, and his worship carried on in it; which was an aggravation of the sin…”

“REHOBOAM'S WICKED REIGN. (Kg1 14:21-24) he reigned . . . in Jerusalem--Its particular designation as "the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there," seems given here, both as a reflection on the apostasy of the ten tribes, and as a proof of the aggravated wickedness of introducing idolatry and its attendant vices there. his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess--Her heathen extraction and her influence as queen mother are stated to account for Rehoboam's tendency to depart from the true religion. Led by the warning of the prophet (Kg1 12:23), as well as by the large immigration of Israelites into his kingdom (Kg1 12:17; Ch2 11:16), he continued…”

“On the age of Rehoboam at his accession, see 1 Kings 12:8 note. The 17 years of his reign must have been complete, or a little more than complete, if Abijam ascended the throne in the “eighteenth” year of Jeroboam 1 Kings 15:1. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Forty one years - Therefore he was born a year before Solomon was king, as appears from Kg1 11:42, this is noted as an aggravation of Rehoboam's folly, that he was old enough to have been wiser. An Ammonitess - A people cursed by God, and shut out of the congregation of his people for ever. This is observed as one cause both of God's displeasure in punishing Solomon with such a son, and of Rehoboam's apostacy after his three first years, Ch2 11:17. None can imagine how fatal and how lasting are the consequence of being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 14:22”

“14:21-31 Between the opening and closing details about Rehoboam’s reign (14:21, 29-31), the account focuses on the deteriorating spiritual experience of God’s people in Judah (14:22-24) and on an Egyptian invasion (14:25-28). 14:21 Rather than any city of the northern kingdom, the city the Lord had chosen was Jerusalem. • Naamah, as the queen mother, was highly esteemed in Judah. This role seems to have developed into an official status (15:13), and Judah’s queen mothers are often mentioned in connection with the reigning king (see, e.g., Jer 22:26).”

“Rehoboam: Kg1 11:43; Ch2 12:13, Ch2 13:7 the city: Kg1 8:16, Kg1 8:44, Kg1 11:36; Psa 78:68, Psa 78:69, Psa 87:1, Psa 87:2, Psa 132:13, Psa 132:14; Isa 12:6 to put his name: Exo 20:24; Deu 12:5, Deu 12:21 Naamah: Kg1 14:31; Deu 23:3; Ch2 12:13 3 Kings (1 Kings) 14:22”

“Reign of Rehoboam in Judah (compare 2 Chron 11:5-12:16). - Kg1 14:21. Rehoboam, who ascended the throne at the age of forty-one, was born a year before the accession of Solomon (see at Kg1 2:24). In the description of Jerusalem as the city chosen by the Lord (cf., Kg1 11:36) there is implied not so much an indirect condemnation of the falling away of the ten tribes, as the striking contrast to the idolatry of Rehoboam referred to in Kg1 14:23. The name of his mother is mentioned (here and in Kg1 14:31), not because she seduced the king to idolatry (Ephr. Syr.), but generally on account of the great influence which the queen-mother appears to have had both upon the king personally and upon…”