Who was Shemariah in the Bible?

Shemariah was a son of King Rehoboam of Judah and his wife Abihail, who was the daughter of Eliab. He is listed among the royal princes during the divided kingdom period (2 Chronicles 11:19).

Why is Shemariah mentioned in the Bible?

Shemariah is mentioned to show the lineage and family of King Rehoboam, highlighting the political alliances through marriage that strengthened Judah. His inclusion in the genealogy underscores the continuation of David's royal line (2 Chronicles 11:18-22).

What happened to Shemariah in the Bible?

The Bible does not record any specific events in Shemariah's life beyond his birth and family listing. His significance is primarily genealogical, establishing him as one of Rehoboam's many sons who were given positions of authority throughout Judah (2 Chronicles 11:23).

Shemariah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Shemariah, a son of King Rehoboam and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab.

Shemariah

Biography

Shemariah was one of the sons born to King Rehoboam by his wife Abihail, daughter of Eliab son of Jesse (2 Chronicles 11:19). He was thus a grandson of Rehoboam and a member of the royal house of Judah during the early period of the divided monarchy. Rehoboam had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, producing twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters; despite this large household, Shemariah is specifically named, indicating he was regarded as a significant figure within the royal family. Rehoboam's practice of distributing his sons across the fortified cities of Judah, giving them abundant provisions and multiple wives, suggests Shemariah would have held a position of regional influence, though Scripture does not record specific deeds attributed to him.

Significance

Shemariah's place in the genealogy of the Davidic royal house carries theological weight beyond mere biography. The Davidic covenant promised that God would maintain David's line, and the careful genealogical records of Chronicles demonstrate how God preserved that lineage through each generation, even amid the moral failures and political turmoil of the divided monarchy. As a son of Rehoboam, Shemariah represents the continuity of the Davidic dynasty at one of its most vulnerable early moments, when the kingdom had just been split. The attention Chronicles gives to Rehoboam's family reflects the concern of the post-exilic community to establish the legitimate succession from which the Messianic hope would ultimately spring.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Chr

2Chr 11:19

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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