1 Kings 14:1–20

DISASTER ON THE HOUSE OF JEROBOAM

14At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became sick.^{s 2}Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go disguise yourself,^t so they won’t know that you’re Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh.^u The prophet Ahijah is there; it was he who told about me becoming king over this people.^{v 3}Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey,^w and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”

⁴Jeroboam’s wife did that: she went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah’s house. Ahijah could not see; he was blind due to his age.^{x 5}But the Lord had said to Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming soon to ask you about her son, for he is sick. You are to say such and such to her. When she arrives, she will be disguised.”^y

⁶When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet entering the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised?^z I have bad news for you. ⁷Go tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I raised you up from among the people, appointed you ruler over my people Israel, ⁸tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you.^aa But you were not like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what is right in my sight. ⁹You behaved more wickedly than all who were before you.^ab In order to anger me, you have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and cast images,^ac but you have flung me behind your back.^{ad 10}Because of all this, I am about to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam:

I will wipe out all of Jeroboam’s males,^B

both slave and free,^C in Israel;

I will sweep away the house of Jeroboam

as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone!^a

¹¹Anyone who belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city,

the dogs will eat,

and anyone who dies in the field,

the birds^D will eat,^b

for the Lord has spoken!’

¹²“As for you, get up and go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the boy will die.^{c 13}All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He alone out of Jeroboam’s house will be given a proper burial because out of the house of Jeroboam something favorable to the Lord God of Israel was found in him.^{d 14}The Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel, who will wipe out the house of Jeroboam.^e This is the day, yes,^E even today! ¹⁵For the Lord will strike Israel so that they will^F shake as a reed shakes in water. He will uproot Israel from this good soil that he gave to their ancestors.^f He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates^g because they made their Asherah poles, angering the Lord.^{h 16}He will give up Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins that he committed and caused Israel to commit.”ⁱ

¹⁷Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah.^j As she was crossing the threshold of the house, the boy died. ¹⁸He was buried, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through his servant the prophet Ahijah.^k

¹⁹As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, how he waged war^l and how he reigned, note that they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ²⁰The length of Jeroboam’s reign was twenty-two years. He rested with his ancestors, and his son Nadab became king in his place.^m