Ῥοβοάμ (Rhoboam)
Rhoboam
Rehoboam
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Rhoboam appears only once in the New Testament, at the beginning of Matthew’s genealogy (Matthew 1:7). It is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew Rehoboam, meaning "he enlarges the people." This brief inclusion marks a specific point in the ancestral line leading to Jesus, connecting the royal house of David to the later kings of Judah.
Rhoboam was the son of Solomon and reigned as king after his father’s death. His name reflects a theme of expansion or increase, yet his historical reign is often associated with the division of the kingdom. By including him in the list, Matthew acknowledges the full breadth of Israel’s history, including its complexities, within the lineage of the Messiah.
The transliteration Ῥοβοάμ preserves the Hebrew pronunciation for Greek-speaking readers. Its single occurrence highlights how the New Testament authors viewed Jesus not just as a new beginning, but as the culmination of a long and continuous line of ancestors, kings included.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Rhoboam appears in Matthew’s genealogy, marking a specific link between King Solomon and the later kings of Judah. His inclusion reminds us that Jesus’ ancestry includes real people with complex histories, not just idealized figures. This connection shows how God works through generations, preserving a lineage despite human flaws.
Even though Rhoboam’s reign is associated with the division of the kingdom, his presence in the list highlights God’s faithfulness to His promises. Matthew uses this name to show that Jesus is the culmination of Israel’s history, embracing both its triumphs and its struggles. This continuity invites us to trust that God’s plan unfolds steadily through time.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Rehoboam;1×
- Rehoboam1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Ῥοβοάμ·1×
- Ῥοβοὰμ1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 1:7
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam. Rehoboam became the father of Abijah. Abijah became the father of Asa.
This verse explicitly links Solomon to Rehoboam, establishing the royal lineage that Matthew traces toward Jesus.