Nebat נְבָט
Father of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel.
Biography
Nebat is mentioned in the Old Testament as the father of Jeroboam I, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel. Although little is known about Nebat himself, his son Jeroboam played a significant role in the history of Israel and is frequently referred to as "Jeroboam son of Nebat" throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles.
Nebat was an Ephraimite from the town of Zeredah (1Ki.11.26). His son Jeroboam was a skilled and capable man who caught the attention of King Solomon and was appointed as an overseer of the forced labor from the house of Joseph (1Ki.11.28).
However, Jeroboam later rebelled against Solomon and fled to Egypt for protection (1Ki.11.26-40). After Solomon's death, Jeroboam returned and led the northern tribes in a revolt against Solomon's son, Rehoboam, resulting in the division of the kingdom (1Ki.12.1-20; 2Ch.10.1-19).
As king of the northern kingdom, Jeroboam established a new religious system, setting up golden calves in Bethel and Dan to prevent his people from going to Jerusalem to worship (1Ki.12.25-33). This act became known as the "sin of Jeroboam," and it had a lasting impact on the spiritual decline of the northern kingdom (1Ki.13.33-34; 14.16; 15.30, 34; 16.2, 19, 26).
Throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles, subsequent kings of Israel are often compared to Jeroboam son of Nebat, with many of them following in his sinful ways (1Ki.15.34; 16.26; 22.52; 2Ki.3.3; 10.29; 13.2, 11; 14.24; 15.9, 18, 24, 28). This recurring phrase serves as a reminder of the lasting consequences of Jeroboam's actions and the spiritual decline that characterized the northern kingdom.
Although Nebat himself is not the focus of the biblical narrative, his mention as the father of Jeroboam serves to provide context for Jeroboam's background and to emphasize the significance of his son's role in the history of Israel. Nebat's inclusion in the story also highlights the importance of family lineage and the impact that one's actions can have on future generations.
Family
In Scripture
3 biblical books1 Kings 5 verses
- 1 Kings 11:26
"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."
- 1 Kings 12:2
"When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was yet in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam lived in Egypt,"
- 1 Kings 12:15
"So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was a thing brought about from Yahweh, that he might establish his word, which Yahweh spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat."
- 1 Kings 15:1
"Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah."
- 1 Kings 16:3
"behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat."
2 Kings 5 verses
- 2 Kings 3:3
"Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from them."
- 2 Kings 9:9
"I will make Ahab’s house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah."
- 2 Kings 10:29
"However, Jehu didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan."
- 2 Kings 13:2
"He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from it."
- 2 Kings 13:11
"He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; but he walked in them."
2 Chronicles 4 verses
- 2 Chronicles 9:29
"Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, aren’t they written in the history of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?"
- 2 Chronicles 10:2
"When Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from the presence of king Solomon), Jeroboam returned out of Egypt."
- 2 Chronicles 10:15
"So the king didn’t listen to the people; for it was brought about by God, that Yahweh might establish his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat."
- 2 Chronicles 13:6
"Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | נְבָט | H5028 |