Abstract
It is widely assumed that the purpose of the 'supplement' found in 3 Kingdoms 12.24a-z is to provide additional information or a certain perspective on Jeroboam. An analysis of the supplement's explanatory phrases and structure, however, leads to the conclusion that its purpose is to place the blame for the division of the kingdom on Rehoboam. By emphasizing the notion that the north rejected Rehoboam rather than the Davidic dynasty, and by downplaying the sins of Jeroboam, the supplement implies that a reconciliation between the two kingdoms is possible. Hezekiah's efforts to extend his rule over the inhabitants of the north may provide the historical background for the compilation of the supplement.
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