Texts in Conversation
In 1 Kings 12, the northern tribes complain that Solomon’s labor demands were too harsh and ask his son to ease their burden. The description of hard work recalls the story in Exodus where Pharaoh forced Israel into heavy labor. By using the same language, the text compares Solomon to Pharaoh as an oppressive ruler.
Share:
Exodus 5:9
Hebrew Bible
7 “You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!” 10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving you straw.
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
1 Kings 12:4
Hebrew Bible
1 Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. 2 When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard the news, he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since. 3 They sent for him, and Jeroboam and the whole Israelite assembly came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, 4 “Your father made us work too hard. Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.”
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Search:
Notes and References
"... if Solomon was indeed so wise, how did he end up making such a mess of things? Shortly after his son Rehoboam took over the throne, the northern tribes seceded from the great United Monarchy that David had cobbled together. We have seen how careful David himself had been to try to cultivate the favor of the northerners, establishing his capital at a midpoint between north and south and moving the (northern-associated) ark and its tent shrine to Jerusalem. How, then, did the country’s unity collapse so quickly? ... the northerners were not coy about the reason for their discontent: Solomon had taxed them nearly to death, they said. “Your father made our yoke too heavy. Lighten the hard work imposed by your father and his heavy yoke” (1 Kings 12:4) ..."
Kugel, James L.
How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now
(pp. 770-771) Free Press, 2007
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.