I Kings 14 Commentary: Judgment and Idolatry
At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
And the Lord said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.
And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,
And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;
But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the Lord hath spoken it.
Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
Moreover the Lord shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger.
And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.
And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.
And it was so, when the king went into the house of the Lord, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
I Kings 14 unveils a stark narrative of judgment upon Jeroboam's dynasty and the pervasive idolatry gripping both the northern and southern kingdoms. This chapter serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the unwavering faithfulness of God to His word, even in judgment. Let's delve into the details of this pivotal chapter.
Jeroboam's Failing House (I Kings 14:1-18)
The seeds of destruction sown by Jeroboam's idolatry begin to sprout. His son, Abijah, falls ill, prompting Jeroboam to send his wife, disguised, to the prophet Ahijah in Shiloh (I Kings 14:1-3). Ahijah, who had previously prophesied Jeroboam's rise to power, now represents the very judgment Jeroboam seeks to evade. It's telling that Jeroboam attempts to conceal his wife's identity, perhaps fearing the repercussions of being seen consulting a prophet of the Lord.
Despite the disguise and Ahijah's blindness due to old age (I Kings 14:4), the Lord reveals the queen's true identity and the impending doom to the prophet (I Kings 14:5). This emphasizes God's omniscience and the futility of trying to hide anything from Him. The message Ahijah delivers is one of utter devastation. God recounts His gracious acts toward Jeroboam, elevating him from obscurity to royalty, only to be met with blatant idolatry and disobedience (I Kings 14:6-9). Jeroboam’s sin was so egregious that it surpassed even the wickedness of those who came before him.
The consequences are severe. God declares He will wipe out Jeroboam's male descendants, likening the destruction to sweeping away dung (I Kings 14:10-11). Their bodies will be left unburied, consumed by animals – a sign of utter disgrace and divine rejection. This graphic imagery underscores the totality of the judgment.
Adding to the tragedy, the very son Jeroboam seeks to heal is destined to die (I Kings 14:12). Upon the queen's return to Tirzah, Abijah dies as she crosses the threshold (I Kings 14:17). He receives a proper burial, a rare honor within Jeroboam's lineage, because "something pleasing to the LORD, the God of Israel, was found in him" (I Kings 14:13). This small glimmer of righteousness amidst the darkness highlights God's discernment and mercy, even within judgment.
The prophecy extends beyond Abijah's death. God will raise up a king to cut off the house of Jeroboam (I Kings 14:14), a prophecy fulfilled in I Kings 15:27-29. Furthermore, Israel will be uprooted and scattered beyond the Euphrates River because of the idols Jeroboam made, leading them to sin (I Kings 14:15-16). This foreshadows the Assyrian conquest in 722 BC, when the northern kingdom was ultimately destroyed. The specificity of the prophecy, even mentioning "this day" (I Kings 14:14), underscores the certainty of God's word.
The Reign of Jeroboam Concludes (I Kings 14:19-20)
The author briefly notes that Jeroboam's deeds are recorded in the "book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel" (I Kings 14:19), a historical document now lost. Jeroboam's reign of twenty-two years (I Kings 14:20) concludes, ushering in a succession of wicked kings who perpetuate the nation's downward spiral.
Rehoboam's Idolatry in Judah (I Kings 14:21-31)
While judgment falls on the northern kingdom, Judah is not exempt from God's scrutiny. Rehoboam's reign in Judah, which began with foolish decisions (I Kings 12:1-19), continues to be marked by wickedness. The people of Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord (I Kings 14:22), surpassing even the sins of their ancestors. They built high places, sacred stones, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree (I Kings 14:23). Male shrine prostitutes were even present in the land (I Kings 14:24), engaging in detestable practices mirroring those of the nations God had driven out before them. By embracing these idolatrous practices, Judah invited the same judgment upon themselves.
In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah and seized the treasures of the temple and the royal palace (I Kings 14:25-26). This humiliation demonstrates the consequences of forsaking God's protection and relying on idols. The once mighty kingdom of David and Solomon is diminished, forced to pay tribute to a foreign power.
Furthermore, there was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam (I Kings 14:30), a constant reminder of the division and strife that plagued the land. Rehoboam was succeeded by his son Abijam (I Kings 14:31), setting the stage for the next chapter in Judah's tumultuous history.
This chapter serves as a powerful warning against idolatry and disobedience. Both the northern and southern kingdoms, despite their distinct circumstances, faced the consequences of turning away from God. The narrative highlights God's faithfulness to His word, both in blessing and in judgment, and underscores the importance of remaining true to Him. It's a reminder that true security and prosperity are found not in political alliances or material wealth, but in a right relationship with the one true God.
At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.
And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me that I should be king over this people.
And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the child.
And Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.
And the Lord said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself to be another woman.
And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.
Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,
And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;
But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the Lord hath spoken it.
Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
Moreover the Lord shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.
For the Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the Lord to anger.
And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.
And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.
And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord did choose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess.
And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done.
For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.
And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king’s house.
And it was so, when the king went into the house of the Lord, that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard chamber.
Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
I Kings 14 unveils a stark narrative of judgment upon Jeroboam's dynasty and the pervasive idolatry gripping both the northern and southern kingdoms. This chapter serves as a somber reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the unwavering faithfulness of God to His word, even in judgment. Let's delve into the details of this pivotal chapter.
Jeroboam's Failing House (I Kings 14:1-18)
The seeds of destruction sown by Jeroboam's idolatry begin to sprout. His son, Abijah, falls ill, prompting Jeroboam to send his wife, disguised, to the prophet Ahijah in Shiloh (I Kings 14:1-3). Ahijah, who had previously prophesied Jeroboam's rise to power, now represents the very judgment Jeroboam seeks to evade. It's telling that Jeroboam attempts to conceal his wife's identity, perhaps fearing the repercussions of being seen consulting a prophet of the Lord.
Despite the disguise and Ahijah's blindness due to old age (I Kings 14:4), the Lord reveals the queen's true identity and the impending doom to the prophet (I Kings 14:5). This emphasizes God's omniscience and the futility of trying to hide anything from Him. The message Ahijah delivers is one of utter devastation. God recounts His gracious acts toward Jeroboam, elevating him from obscurity to royalty, only to be met with blatant idolatry and disobedience (I Kings 14:6-9). Jeroboam’s sin was so egregious that it surpassed even the wickedness of those who came before him.
The consequences are severe. God declares He will wipe out Jeroboam's male descendants, likening the destruction to sweeping away dung (I Kings 14:10-11). Their bodies will be left unburied, consumed by animals – a sign of utter disgrace and divine rejection. This graphic imagery underscores the totality of the judgment.
Adding to the tragedy, the very son Jeroboam seeks to heal is destined to die (I Kings 14:12). Upon the queen's return to Tirzah, Abijah dies as she crosses the threshold (I Kings 14:17). He receives a proper burial, a rare honor within Jeroboam's lineage, because "something pleasing to the LORD, the God of Israel, was found in him" (I Kings 14:13). This small glimmer of righteousness amidst the darkness highlights God's discernment and mercy, even within judgment.
The prophecy extends beyond Abijah's death. God will raise up a king to cut off the house of Jeroboam (I Kings 14:14), a prophecy fulfilled in I Kings 15:27-29. Furthermore, Israel will be uprooted and scattered beyond the Euphrates River because of the idols Jeroboam made, leading them to sin (I Kings 14:15-16). This foreshadows the Assyrian conquest in 722 BC, when the northern kingdom was ultimately destroyed. The specificity of the prophecy, even mentioning "this day" (I Kings 14:14), underscores the certainty of God's word.
The Reign of Jeroboam Concludes (I Kings 14:19-20)
The author briefly notes that Jeroboam's deeds are recorded in the "book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel" (I Kings 14:19), a historical document now lost. Jeroboam's reign of twenty-two years (I Kings 14:20) concludes, ushering in a succession of wicked kings who perpetuate the nation's downward spiral.
Rehoboam's Idolatry in Judah (I Kings 14:21-31)
While judgment falls on the northern kingdom, Judah is not exempt from God's scrutiny. Rehoboam's reign in Judah, which began with foolish decisions (I Kings 12:1-19), continues to be marked by wickedness. The people of Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord (I Kings 14:22), surpassing even the sins of their ancestors. They built high places, sacred stones, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree (I Kings 14:23). Male shrine prostitutes were even present in the land (I Kings 14:24), engaging in detestable practices mirroring those of the nations God had driven out before them. By embracing these idolatrous practices, Judah invited the same judgment upon themselves.
In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, Shishak, king of Egypt, invaded Judah and seized the treasures of the temple and the royal palace (I Kings 14:25-26). This humiliation demonstrates the consequences of forsaking God's protection and relying on idols. The once mighty kingdom of David and Solomon is diminished, forced to pay tribute to a foreign power.
Furthermore, there was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam (I Kings 14:30), a constant reminder of the division and strife that plagued the land. Rehoboam was succeeded by his son Abijam (I Kings 14:31), setting the stage for the next chapter in Judah's tumultuous history.
This chapter serves as a powerful warning against idolatry and disobedience. Both the northern and southern kingdoms, despite their distinct circumstances, faced the consequences of turning away from God. The narrative highlights God's faithfulness to His word, both in blessing and in judgment, and underscores the importance of remaining true to Him. It's a reminder that true security and prosperity are found not in political alliances or material wealth, but in a right relationship with the one true God.