1 Kings 14:1–18

Ahijah Prophesies against the King

1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick.

2 Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise now, and adisguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to bShiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who cspoke concerning me that I would be king over this people.

3 “aTake ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”

4 Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to aShiloh, and came to the house of bAhijah. Now Ahijah could not see, cfor his eyes were 1dim because of his age.

5 Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to 1inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that ashe will pretend to be another woman.”

6 When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message.

7 “Go, say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel, “aBecause I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel,

8 and atore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—byet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, cto do only that which was right in My sight;

9 you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and ahave gone and made for yourself other gods and bmolten images to provoke Me to anger, and have ccast Me behind your back—

10 therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and awill cut off from Jeroboam 1every male person, bboth bond and free in Israel, and I cwill make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone.

11 “aAnyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the Lord has spoken it.” ’

12 “Now you, arise, go to your house. aWhen your feet enter the city the child will die.

13 “All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for 1he alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him asomething good was found toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

14 “Moreover, athe Lord will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day 1and from now on.

15 “For the Lord will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and aHe will uproot Israel from bthis good land which He gave to their fathers, and cwill scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, dbecause they have made their 1Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger.

16 “He will give up Israel aon account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he 1committed and with which he made Israel to sin.”

17 Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to aTirzah. bAs she was entering the threshold of the house, the child died.

18 aAll Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet.