1 Kings 11:40

Contextual Overview

²⁶Now Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam son of Nebat, was an Ephraimite from Zeredah. His widowed mother’s name was Zeruah. Jeroboam rebelled against Solomon, ²⁶ Yarov`am the son of Nevat, an Efratite of Tzeredata, a servant of Shlomo, whose mother's name was Tzeru`ah, a widow, he also lifted up his hand against the king. ²⁶ And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. ²⁶ Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also lifted up his hand against the king. ²⁶ Jeroboam son of Nebat was one of Solomon's officers. He was an Ephraimite from the town of Zeredah, and he was the son of a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam turned against the king. ²⁶ Jeroboam son of Nebat, one of Solomon's servants, rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. ²⁶Jeroboam, Solomon's servant, the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zeredah whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king. ²⁶ Then Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also rebelled against the king. ²⁶ And Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat an Ephrathite of Zereda Salomons seruant (whose mother was called Zeruah a widowe) lift vp his hand against the King. ²⁶Now Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow, also raised his hand against the king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Solomon sought: 2 Chronicles 16:10, Proverbs 21:30, Isaiah 14:24-27, Isaiah 46:10, Lamentations 3:37

Shishak: This is the first time we meet with the proper name of an Egyptian king in Scripture, Pharaoh being the general appellation for all the sovereigns of that country. Some are of opinion that Shishak is the same with the celebrated Sesostris of the Greek historians; but it is probable that this king lived long before Solomon's time. Usher thinks him to be Sesonchis, and places the beginning of his reign, am 3026, bc 978. 1 Kings 14:25, 1 Kings 14:26, 2 Chronicles 12:2-9

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 12:2 - Jeroboam the son of Nebat 2 Chronicles 10:2 - Jeroboam Matthew 2:20 - for

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam,.... Which is another instance of his folly, to seek to detest the counsel of God, when he himself was assured by the Lord the kingdom should be rent, and given to his servant, 1 Kings 11:11 and especially if he was informed of what passed between Ahijah and Jeroboam, as it should seem by this he was; either through Ahijah's making no secret of it, or through Jeroboam not being able to keep his own counsel, or through the report of the servants what they saw done, 1 Kings 11:29, which Solomon would easily understand:

and Jeroboam arose and fled into Egypt; the common sanctuary of persons in distress in those days:

unto Shishak king of Egypt; either the father in law or the brother in law of Solomon, or one of another family, on whom the kingdom devolved; and who might not have any good respect for Solomon, and therefore Jeroboam thought himself safe with him: this is the only king of Egypt, in Scripture, that is called by his own name, and not Pharaoh; he is generally supposed to be the same with the Sesostris of Herodotus t, and the Vexoris or Vexosis of Justin u; and the rather he may be meant, since, according to Herodotus w, he was the only king of Egypt that ruled over the Ethiopians: and Strabo says x he was the first that subdued Ethiopia and the country of the Troglodytes; also Diodorus Siculus affirms y, that he fought with the Ethiopians dwelling to the south, and obliged them to pay tribute; out of which countries Shishak brought many with him in his expedition against Jerusalem, 2 Chronicles 12:2

and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon; not daring to return till that time, and then he did.

t Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 102. u E Trogo, l. 1. c. 1. w Ut supra, (Euterpe, sive, l. 2.) c. 110. x Geograph. l. 16. p. 529. y Bibliothec. l. 1. p. 50.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare 1 Kings 11:26. The announcement of Ahijah was followed within a little while by rebellion on the part of Jeroboam. As Solomon’s luster faded, as his oppression became greater and its objects more selfish, and as a prospect of deliverance arose from the personal qualities of Jeroboam 1 Kings 11:28, the tribe of Ephraim to which he belonged, again aspired after its old position (see Joshua 17:14 note). Jeroboam, active, energetic, and ambitious, placed himself at their head. The step proved premature. The power of Solomon was too firmly fixed to be shaken; and the hopes of the Ephraimites had to be deferred until a fitter season.

The “exact” date of Jeroboam’s flight into Egypt cannot be fixed. It was certainly not earlier than Solomon’s twenty-fourth year, since it was after the building of Millo 1 Kings 11:27. But it may have been several years later.

Shishak - This king is the first Pharaoh mentioned in Scripture who can be certainly identified with any known Egyptian monarch. He is the Sheshonk (Sheshonk I) of the monuments, and the Sesonchosis of Manetho. The Egyptian date for his accession is 980 or 983 B.C., which synchronizes, according to the ordinary Hebrew reckoning, with Solomon’s 32nd or 35th year. Sheshonk I has left a record of his expedition against Judah, which accords well with what is related of Shishak 1 Kings 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12:2-4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 11:40. Sought - to kill Jeroboam. — He thought by this means to prevent the punishment due to his crimes.

Unto Shishak king of Egypt — This is the first time we meet with the proper name of an Egyptian king, Pharaoh being the common name for all the sovereigns of that country. Some suppose that this Shishak was the Sesostris so renowned for his wars and his conquests. But it is likely that this king lived long before Solomon's time.