Serua (also called Seruja) was a widow who was the mother of Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel after the division of the realm. She is known primarily through her son, who became a central figure in Israel's history. The Bible mentions her briefly as Jeroboam's mother in connection with his rebellion against King Solomon.
26Jeroboam son of Nebat also rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah; he was one of Solomon's officials.
26Jeroboam son of Nebat also rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah, and his mother was a widow named Zeruah; he was one of Solomon's officials.
28Now Jeroboam was a capable man, and when Solomon saw how well the young man did his work, he put him in charge of all the forced labor of the house of Joseph.
The prophet Ahijah from Shiloh gave Jeroboam the promise that he would become king over ten of the tribes of Israel, which directly affected the fate of Serua's descendants.
29About that time, when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh met him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak, and the two of them were alone out in the open country.
31Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'See, I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand, and I will give you ten tribes.
32But one tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.
33For they have forsaken me and bowed down to Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh the god of Moab, and to Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my eyes and keeping my statutes and my judgments, as David his father did.
34Yet I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon's hand; I will let him rule as prince all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who kept my commandments and my statutes.
36To his son I will give one tribe, so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen for myself, to put my name there.
38And if you listen to all I command you, and walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
20When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent for him and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. No one followed the house of David except the tribe of Judah alone.