Who rose to power as king over the ten northern tribes during the divided monarchy?

• A. Jeroboam
• B. Adonijah
• C. Amnon
• D. Absalom

Answer: (A)

In the divided monarchy, the ten northern tribes formed the kingdom of Israel separate from Judah. Jeroboam rose to power as their king after Solomon’s reign when the ten tribes rebelled against Rehoboam’s heavy rule. He had already been an official under Solomon, and the prophet Ahijah had foretold that he would rule over the ten tribes. When Rehoboam refused to ease the burdens on the people, the northern tribes accepted Jeroboam as their king.

A key move in his kingship was establishing religious centers in the north (Bethel and Dan) to prevent pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which helped solidify his political control but also set the stage for ongoing religious division in Israel. This differentiates him from other biblical figures like Adonijah, Amnon, and Absalom, who were involved in different power struggles within the Davidic line rather than ruling the northern kingdom.