When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam became king (II Chronicles 9:29-31). His older advisors recommended that the new king act in such a way as to win the favor of the people; his younger advisors proposed that he tell the people that he would increase their burdens much more than his father Solomon had done (10:6-11).

Rehoboam apparently felt like he had something to prove, and he chose a graphic sexual metaphor to express it: “my little finger is thicker than my father’s loins” (10:10). During his reign Rehoboam endeavored to live up to that claim by gathering a considerable harem, 78 women (11:18-21) – this was, however, quite a bit smaller than his father’s famous harem of a thousand (I Kings 11:3).

When Rehoboam opted for the harsh advice of his younger advisors (II Chronicles 10:12-15), the ten northern tribes rebelled, under the leadership of Jeroboam (10:16-19). Rehoboam began mustering his army to put down the rebellion (11:1), but the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam with a declaration from God: don’t go fight against your kindred (11:4).

Because Rehoboam listened to this word from the Lord, war was averted. Nevertheless, the united kingdom of Israel was now broken, with the ten northern tribes becoming the kingdom of Israel, while the two southern tribes became the kingdom of Judah. Jeroboam would become the symbol of the sinful rebel. And yet his rebellion was after all triggered when Rehoboam skipped his chance to build a spirit of cooperation and relationship, and opted for self-aggrandizement instead.

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When will we learn, O Lord, that working together will get us farther than putting others down to make ourselves feel important? Grant us, we pray, the humility to seek cooperation rather than coercion, both with the people we like, and also with those we don’t.