1 Kings 14:1-20
Jeroboam's House Judged
Read the passage
1At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill,
2and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who spoke about my kingship over this people.
3Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the boy.”
4Jeroboam’s wife did as instructed; she arose and went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age.
5But the LORD had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill. You are to say such and such to her, because when she arrives, she will be disguised.”
6So when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet entering the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised? For I have been sent to you with bad news.
7Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over My people Israel.
8I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My eyes.
9You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back.
10Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone!
11Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.’ For the LORD has spoken.
12As for you, get up and go home. When your feet enter the city, the child will die.
13All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. For this is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will receive a proper burial, because only in him has the LORD, the God of Israel, found any good in the house of Jeroboam.
14Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day—yes, even today!
15For the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that He gave their fathers, and He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking the LORD to anger.
16So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”
17Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and departed for Tirzah, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died.
18And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the prophet.
19As for the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he waged war and how he reigned, they are indeed written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
20And the length of Jeroboam’s reign was twenty-two years, and he rested with his fathers, and his son Nadab reigned in his place.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Jeroboam's son Abijah becomes sick. Jeroboam tells his wife to disguise herself and go to Shiloh to ask Ahijah the prophet what will happen to the child. The king who built alternative worship centers knows where God's word has been spoken, but he does not want the prophet to know who is asking.
Ahijah is old and cannot see, but the LORD tells him that Jeroboam's wife is coming. The prophet hears her footsteps and announces that she will hear hard news. The child will die when she returns, but he alone among Jeroboam's house will receive burial because something pleasing to the LORD was found in him.
Ahijah condemns Jeroboam because the LORD raised him up and tore the kingdom from David's house, yet Jeroboam has not been like David. He has made other gods and cast the LORD behind his back. The judgment is tied to the king's worship and leadership, not merely to the illness of his child.
The prophecy says the LORD will uproot Israel and scatter the people beyond the Euphrates because they made Asherah poles and provoked Him. The word about the boy is fulfilled when he dies as his mother arrives home, and Israel mourns him. God has seen good in this child even as He condemns the king's evil. Jeroboam's reign ends after twenty-two years, and his son Nadab succeeds him.
Questions
1 Why does Jeroboam's wife go to Ahijah?
AnswerShe goes to ask what will happen to their sick son. Jeroboam sends her to the prophet who had announced his kingship.
2 Why does she disguise herself?
AnswerJeroboam wants Ahijah to answer without knowing that the king is asking about his own child.
3 Why is Abijah promised burial?
AnswerHe alone in Jeroboam's house has something pleasing to the LORD, so he will receive burial and mourning.
4 What does Jeroboam's disguise teach us about bringing our needs to God?
AnswerWe cannot hide the parts of our lives that need repentance while asking Him for help elsewhere. We can tell Him the truth about both our fears and our sins.
What This Means for Us
Jeroboam wants an answer from the God whose commands he has rejected. Ahijah begins with what the LORD gave him: his position as king and responsibility for God's people. That gift makes his choice to lead them into idolatry all the more serious. When we ask God for help, we should also listen to what He has already told us.
The boy's death is painful to read. Here God tells a prophet what this particular judgment means, and He expressly distinguishes the child from the evil of the household. We have no warrant to look at another child's illness and announce that it is punishment for a parent's sin.
Prayer
Lord, keep us from hiding behind appearances when our choices need correction. Protect children from the consequences of adult wrongdoing, and make our influence faithful, honest, and accountable. Amen.