Jeroboam = "the people will contend"<OL TYPE="1"><LI>the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 10 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon's son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign<LI>the 8th king of the northern kingdom of Israel, son of Joash, and 4th in the dynasty of Jehu; during his reign the Syrian invaders were repelled and the kingdom restored to its former borders but the idolatry of the kingdom was maintained</OL>