Jeroboam the Son of Joash King of Israel

2022-11-20

Jeroboam the son of Joash became king after his father, reigning a long 41 years. He did evil as his father did.

Amos the prophet spoke against the king. “Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land” (Amos 7:10-11). Jeroboam likely repented at this word, for it was Jeroboam’s son who was assassinated, not him. We also see a deliverance that happened during Jeroboam’s life, and the exile happened later.

The LORD restored much of their lost territory at the king’s hand, promised according to the prophet Jonah son of Amittai. (This is the same Jonah as the book bearing his name.) This restoration included Damascus, Hamath, and the sea of the plain. “And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash” (2 Kings 14:27). This was because the LORD saw the misery of His people, and perhaps repentance in the king.

This is a part of the Kings of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.