Tax-Free

King Rehoboam lost the greater share of his kingdom because of a dispute over the matter of taxes. Indeed, there was, much more to the argument that split the twelve tribes of Israel into two separate kingdoms and cost Rehoboam ten of these tribes. Solomon had taxed the people to the hilt. To build the temple, his palace and temples for the gods of his many heathen wives, Solomon had to exact heavy taxes from the people. But he had also to conscript the men to labor in the forests of Lebanon...