This is the story behind his rebellion. Solomon was rebuilding the supporting terraces and repairing the walls of the city of his father, David.
Parallel translations
- WEB This was the reason why he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breach of his father David’s city.
- KJV And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
- BSB and this is the account of his rebellion against the king. Solomon had built the supporting terraces and repaired the gap in the wall of the city of his father David.
- NKJV And this is what caused him to rebel against the king: Solomon had built the Millo and repaired the damages to the City of David his father.
- NASB Now this was the reason why he rebelled against the king: Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the breach of the city of his father David.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The occasion for Jeroboam's rebellion arose as Solomon built the Millo and repaired Jerusalem's wall. It connects the revolt to the burdens of Solomon's projects.
Overview
The narrative notes that Jeroboam's opposition was linked to Solomon's building works, including the Millo and the city's defenses, projects that demanded heavy labor from the people. The forced labor and taxation that fueled Solomon's glory bred resentment. This detail foreshadows the grievance over burdens that would later split the kingdom under Rehoboam (12:4).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Kgs 9:24But Pharaoh’s daughter came up out of David’s city to her house which Solomon had built for her. Then he built Millo.
- 1 Kgs 9:15This is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised, to build Yahweh’s house, his own house, Millo, Jerusalem’s wall, Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer.
- 2 Sam 5:7Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. This is David’s city.
- Amos 9:11In that day I will raise up the tent of David who is fallen, and close up its breaches, and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old;
- Ezek 13:5You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Yahweh.
- Isa 22:9You saw the breaches of David’s city, that they were many; and you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
- Ps 60:2You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.
- 2 Sam 20:21The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Just deliver him, and I will depart from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
- Prov 30:32“If you have done foolishly in lifting up yourself, or if you have thought evil, put your hand over your mouth.
- Isa 26:11Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people, and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.
- Neh 4:7But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be filled, they were very angry;
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 11:27 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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