Upon Solomon’s death, God had decreed that Jeroboam should be the next king. But Solomon’s young son, Rehoboam was the people’s choice—though he promised only oppression and hardship. The nation split, with Jeroboam leading the northern tribes, now called “Israel” (or “Samaria”), and Rehoboam leading the southern region, now called “Judah”. Most of the kings who followed continued in pagan practices, with perhaps the lowest point for Samaria being the leadership of Ahab and his pagan wife Jezebel.
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