Answers to Quora Questions by Yair Davidiy
Why did the Tribes Benjamin and Judah split?
https://www.quora.com/Why-did-the-Tribes-Benjamin-and-Judah-split/answer/Yair-Davidiy
(21 March, 2018, 5 Nisan, 5778)
2-Samuel (NASB) 2:
8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11 The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
David, son of Jesse (‘Yishai’ in Hebrew) reigned at first in Hebron, in Judah. The rest of Israel was ruled by the son of Saul, Ish Boshet (2-Samuel 2:8). He ruled from Machanayim east of the Jordan.
Ish Boshet reigned for two years (2-Samuel 2:10). After that the Kingdom was re-united and David ruled over all Israel. After David, Solomon the son of David ruled over all Israel. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, at first also ruled over all Israel but shortly afterwards the Ten Northern Tribes (as well as Simeon in the south and southeast) separated.
2-Kings (NASB) 12:
16 When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying,
‘What portion do we have in David?
We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse;
To your tents, O Israel!
Now look after your own house, David!’
So Israel departed to their tents. 17 But as for the sons of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the forced labor, and all Israel stoned him to death. And King Rehoboam made haste to mount his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
20 It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.
21 Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 23 ‘Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the rest of the people, saying, 24 ‘Thus says the LORD, ‘You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, for this thing has come from Me.’’’ So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.
2 Chronicles (NASB) 11:
14 For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD.