UNROLL
Dusk at Shiloh: a small quiet village of plain stone houses in a hollow among terraced hills, olive trees on the slopes, one low doorway lit by a clay lamp and a footpath winding up to it, under a calm, pale evening sky.

The Book of

1 Kings 14

Jeroboam’s son is sick. His wife goes to Shiloh in disguise, to a prophet who cannot see her.

31 verses≈ 7 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–2Solomon's throneThe kingdom made secure
  2. 3–4WisdomA discerning heart
  3. 5–8The templeA house for the LORD's Name
  4. 9–11Glory and fallSolomon's heart turns
  5. 12–16Two kingdomsThe kingdom tornChapter 14
  6. 17–19ElijahThe LORD, He is God
  7. 20–22AhabNaboth and Micaiah

Ahijah’s Prophecy against Jeroboam

At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill,

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Jeroboam
Jeroboam

and 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. Take 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.”

The low doorway of a plain stone house at Shiloh in afternoon light: a woman in a plain cloak with a basket on her arm pauses on the threshold; inside, in shadow, a very old blind prophet sits on a reed mat, his clouded eyes turned toward the sound, a staff across his knees.

Jeroboam’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.

God

But 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.”

Ahijah

So 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.

Go, 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.

I 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.

1 Kings 14:8

You 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.

Because 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!

Anyone 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.

As for you, get up and go home. When your feet enter the city, the child will die. All 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.

At the edge of a swift river in the morning, tall green reeds bend and shake hard in the current and a gusting wind, the water rushing past their stems; the far bank soft and hazy.

Moreover, 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! For 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. So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”

Dusk at Tirzah: Jeroboam's wife, seen from behind in her plain cloak, steps over the stone threshold of the palace door; inside, a servant woman by a clay lamp turns toward her with a hand to her mouth in grief.

Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and departed for Tirzah, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the prophet.

0:15

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Reflect

No disguise

Jeroboam’s wife came in disguise, but before she reached the door the LORD had told Ahijah who was coming. He greeted her by name: “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised?” Nothing is hidden from God. What do you try to hide from Him, or bring to Him only half-honestly? Tell Him plainly now.

Nadab Succeeds Jeroboam

Israel

Jeroboam of Israel · 22 years

  1. His wars and reign recorded

    As 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.

  2. Nadab reigns in his place

    And the length of Jeroboam’s reign was twenty-two years, and he rested with his fathers, and his son Nadab reigned in his place.

A small storeroom in a stone palace by lamplight: rolled leather scrolls tied with cord lie in a cedar chest and stand in tall clay jars on a shelf; a scribe's palette and reed pens rest on a low table; every scroll closed.

Rehoboam Reigns in Judah

A bare hilltop in Judah at evening, seen from a distance: under a great spreading green oak stand a small rough stone altar, a plain upright standing stone and a plain wooden pole; no people; the terraced valley below in shadow.

Judah

Rehoboam of Judah · 17 years

  1. Became king at forty-one

    Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel in which to put His Name.

  2. His mother, Naamah the Ammonite

    His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.

  3. did evil

    Judah provoked the LORD

    And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and by the sins they committed they provoked Him to jealous anger more than all their fathers had done.

  4. High places, pillars, Asherah poles

    They also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.

  5. Male shrine prostitutes

    There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land.

  6. The ways of the nations

    They imitated all the abominations of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

Question

Quick question

Rehoboam was no young man when the kingdom split in his hands.

How old was Rehoboam when he became king?

Shishak Raids Jerusalem

In the fifth year of Rehoboam’s reign, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem.

Judah

Rehoboam’s end

  1. The rest of his acts

    As for the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, along with all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

  2. War with Jeroboam all his days

    There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days.

  3. Buried in the City of David

    And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David; his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite.

  4. Abijam reigns in his place

    And his son Abijam reigned in his place.

Pray

A whole heart

The LORD measured Jeroboam by David, who “followed Me with all his heart.” Ask God for a whole heart, not a divided one. Pray for the leaders of our nation and our churches, that they never lead people away from Him. And thank Him that even through Rehoboam’s sins, the throne of David was not left empty: “his son Abijam reigned in his place.”

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1 Kings 14

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A verse to carry with you

I 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.

1 Kings 14:8

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