Daily Tanach Sunday Sefer Melachim 1 Chapter 14: The son of Yeravam dies

1. The son of Yeravam dies:

• Yeravam’s wife arrived home to Tirzah [the capital of Yeravam’s kingdom in the Shomron] and when she came onto the threshold of the house, the youth died.
• The boy is buried and eulogized: All of Israel buried him and eulogized him as Hashem had spoken through His servant Achiyah the Shilonite.

2. The reign of Yeravam and his death:

• The remaining events of Yeravam, his wars and reign, is written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
• The years of Yeravam’s reign: Yeravam reigned for twenty two years, and he then passed away and was buried with his forefathers
• The king who reigned after him: Yeravam’s son Nadav ruled in his place after he died.

3. The reign of Rechavam and the sins of Judah:

• His age at the time of rule and years of reign: Rechavam, the son of Shlomo, was 41 years old when he ruled over Yehuda. He was king for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Hashem had chosen to place His Name there out of all the tribes of Israel.
• His mother’s name: Rechavam’s mother’s name was Naamah the Amonitess.
• The sins of Judah: The tribe of Yehuda sinned before Hashem the Lord, and they angered Hashem more than the sins of their forefathers. They, too, built for themselves altars for idolatry, and monuments and trees for idol worship on every high hill and under every green tree. They also committed adultery in the land. They committed all the abominations of the nations that Hashem had driven out from Israel, on their behalf.

4. The Egyptian conquest of Jerusalem:

• In the fifth year of reign of the king Rechavam, Shishak, the king of Egypt, came up to battle against Jerusalem. He took the treasures of the Temple and the treasures of the king’s palace. He took everything [including the ivory throne of Shlomo^[1]]. He took all the golden shields that Shlomo had made.
• New shields are made: King Rechavam made new copper shields instead of them, and he put them under the jurisdiction of the captain of those who guarded the door of the king’s palace. Whenever the king went to the Temple, the runners would carry the shields [to protect him from an assassination^[2]] and then return them to the chambers that they were stored in.

5. The legacy of Rechavam and his death:

• The remainder of the events of Rechavam and all that he did, are written in the book of Chronicles of the kings of Judah.
• The state of affairs between Rechavam and Yeravam: There was a continuous war between Rechavam and Yeravam throughout their days.
• Rechavam dies and is buried: Rechavam died and was buried with his fathers in the City of David.
• His mother: His mother’s name was Naamah, the Amonitess.
• His successor: Aviyam, his son, reigned in his place.

[1] Rashi 14:25

[2] Meam Loez 14:27