Nebat נְבָט
Father of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel.
Who is Nebat in the Bible?
Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose son Jeroboam I became the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the monarchy's division (1 Kings 11:26). Although Nebat himself appears only as a background figure in Scripture, his name became historically significant because Jeroboam is repeatedly identified throughout Kings and Chronicles as "Jeroboam son of Nebat" to distinguish him from later kings of the same name. Jeroboam, who had served as an overseer under Solomon, led a rebellion of the northern tribes against Rehoboam after Solomon's death, establishing the divided kingdom (1 Kings 12:2, 12:15). The phrase "Jeroboam son of Nebat" becomes a recurring marker in the biblical narrative, particularly when describing the sins of Israel's northern kings who followed Jeroboam's example of idolatry (1 Kings 15:34, 2 Kings 17:21).
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
"Now Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, but he rebelled against the king,"
- 1 Kings 12:2
"When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he was still in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon and had been living ever since."
- 1 Kings 12:15
"So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word He had spoken to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah the Shilonite."
- 1 Kings 15:1
"In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam became king of Judah,"
- 1 Kings 16:3
"So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat:"
2 Kings 5 verses
- 2 Kings 3:3
"Nevertheless, he clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them."
- 2 Kings 9:9
"I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah."
- 2 Kings 10:29
"but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan."
- 2 Kings 13:2
"And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them."
- 2 Kings 13:11
"And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them."
2 Chronicles 4 verses
- 2 Chronicles 9:29
"As for the rest of the acts of Solomon, from beginning to end, are they not written in the Records of Nathan the Prophet, in the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the Visions of Iddo the Seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?"
- 2 Chronicles 10:2
"When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about this, he returned from Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon."
- 2 Chronicles 10:15
"So the king did not listen to the people, and indeed this turn of events was from God, in order that the LORD might fulfill the word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat."
- 2 Chronicles 13:6
"Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | נְבָט |