Page 43 - Biblical Backgrounds student textbook

Politically, Solomon has peace on all his borders, and all
neighboring kingdoms paid him tribute each year to
retain their autonomy (I Kings 4:24). In modern times,
Solomon’s peak wealth net worth would be around $2
trillion dollars. He received over 25 tons of gold for each
of the 39 years of his reign worth billions of dollars (2
Chronicles 9:13-29).

Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion Geber (I Kings
10:22-23) and imported great quantities of ivory, gold,
and silver. He even imported apes.

To finance his building projects and expansion of the
kingdom, Solomon placed heavy taxes upon all the
people of Israel (I Kings 12:4). Basically his forty-year
reign was a prelude to disaster as the people of Israel
chafed under their heavy burden of taxation.
Upon Solomon’s death, his son, Rehoboam succeeded
the throne. The discontent and unrest of the people
under the yolk of huge taxes asked Rehoboam for a
reprieve. But Rehoboam was foolish and informed the
people that during his reign, their burdens would
increase. As a result, the 10 northern tribes revolted
against Rehoboam and appointed Jeroboam as their
king.

After this break (c. 922), the two kingdoms continued a
separate but interrelated existence for 200 years till the fall of
Samaria in 722 BCE. The northern kingdom, including the
territories of Ephraim, western Manasseh, Asher, Zebulon,
Issachar, Dan, and Naphtali West of the Jordan, and of eastern
Manasseh, Gad and Reuben East of the Jordan, was larger than
the southern kingdom which included only Judah, Simeon, and
Benjamin. The northern kingdom was also richer both
agriculturally, because of its plains, and commercially, because
of the international trade routes running through it. The
southern kingdom was more mountainous and more isolated.
For the above reasons, the northern kingdom was more open
to foreign cultural and religious influences as well as to foreign
conquest. The southern kingdom was more provincial, more
faithful in maintaining the religion of Yahweh, and it continued
an independent existence for about 150 years after the fall of
the northern kingdom.

During his reign, Rehoboam fought border wars against
Jeroboam, probably over the territory of Benjamin which was a
buffer zone between the two kingdoms (I Kings 14:30). His son,

42