The conflict, referring to the independence of the Kingdom of Samaria and the subsequent civil war during Jeroboam's rule, is said to have begun shortly after the death of Solomon lasting until the Battle of Mount Zemaraim.

The conflict began due to discontent under the rule of Solomon's successor, his son Rehoboam, and was waged with the goal of breaking away from the United Monarchy of Israel.

While still a young man, King Solomon made him superintendent[12] over his tribesmen in the building of the fortress Millo in Jerusalem and of other public works.

Solomon's reign was characterized by extravagant projects that demonstrated the royal family's wealth, which caused widespread discontent among the people that Jeroboam naturally became conversant with.

[13] Solomon, apparently influenced by a prophecy that his kingdom would be divided due to his idolatrous practices and that the ten northern tribes would be given to "his servant",[14] sought to kill Jeroboam.

[13] Although criticized for his heretical activities,[17] Jeroboam engaged in offering incense at Bethel, when a "man of God" warned him that "a son named Josiah will be born to the house of David" who would destroy the altar.

Shishak's forces stripped the city, including the Holy Temple,[23] of Solomon's gold, which was later replaced with brass crafted by Rehoboam.

Abijam's elite warriors fended off a pincer movement to rout Jeroboam's troops, killing 500,000 of them,[27] while simultaneously annexing the towns of Bethel, Jeshanah, and Ephron, and their surrounding villages.

While the existence of a true "united monarchy" of Israel is considered doubtful by most modern historians, there is no agreed theory on the historical origins of the independent kingdoms of Samaria and Judah.

[30] Excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa[31] and Gath[32] show that large-scale urban civilizations were present in Judea during the timeframe of the United Monarchy, but they do not prove that such an entity existed.

"[33] Kenneth Kitchen reaches a similar conclusion, arguing that "the physical archaeology of tenth-century Canaan is consistent with the former existence of a unified state on its terrain.

The names of captured towns are located primarily in the territory of the Kingdom of Israel (including Megiddo), with a few listed in the Negeb, and perhaps Philistia.

[36] The portal is generally believed to record a historical campaign of Sheshonq I in Judah, but it makes no mention of Jerusalem being sacked, nor of Rehoboam or Jeroboam.