ScriptureDepth's study of 1 Kings 14
“Moreover Yahweh will raise up a king for himself over Israel, who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Even now.”
1 Kings 14:14
Yahweh speaks to Jeroboam’s wife through Ahijah about the future, declaring that a king will arise to cut off 'the house of Jeroboam'.
What 1 Kings 14 is about
Abijah, the son of Jeroboam, became sick. Jeroboam told his wife to disguise herself and go to Shiloh to see the prophet Ahijah. He asked her to take bread, cakes, and honey to inquire about their son (vv. 1-3). When she arrived, Ahijah, though blind, recognized her immediately. He revealed that he had a message of heavy news from Yahweh (vv. 4-6). Ahijah told her that Jeroboam would be punished for his evil actions. He had turned away from Yahweh and led Israel into sin (vv. 7-11). Because of this, their son would die as soon as she returned home, and Israel would face destruction (vv. 12-16). The child died, and all of Israel mourned for him (vv. 17-20). Meanwhile, Rehoboam ruled in Judah. He did evil in the sight of Yahweh and was attacked by Shishak from Egypt (vv. 21-31).
Yahweh’s judgment on Jeroboam leads to the death of Abijah and promises punishment for Israel's sins.
1 Kings 14 at a glance
- 1 Kings 14:1–3Jeroboam's Concern for Abijah
- 1 Kings 14:4–6Ahijah's Revelation
- 1 Kings 14:7–11Judgment Pronounced on Jeroboam
- 1 Kings 14:12–16Fate of Abijah and Israel
- 1 Kings 14:17–20Abijah's Death and Mourning
- 1 Kings 14:21–24Rehoboam's Reign in Judah
- 1 Kings 14:25–31Shishak’s Attack and Conclusion
Key verse: 1 Kings 14:14
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read 1 Kings 14 (WEB)
Jeroboam's Concern for Abijah 1 Kings 14:1–3
1Verse 1. At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. 2Verse 2. Jeroboam said to his wife, “Please get up and disguise yourself, so that you won’t be recognized as Jeroboam’s wife. Go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said that that I would be king over this people. 3Verse 3. 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 child.”
Ahijah's Revelation 1 Kings 14:4–6
4Verse 4. Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. 5Verse 5. Yahweh said to Ahijah, “Behold, Jeroboam’s wife is coming to inquire of you concerning her son; for he is sick. Tell her such and such; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman.” 6Verse 6. So when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, Jeroboam’s wife! Why do you pretend to be another? For I am sent to you with heavy news.
Judgment Pronounced on Jeroboam 1 Kings 14:7–11
7Verse 7. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: “Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over my people Israel, 8Verse 8. and tore the kingdom away from David’s house, and gave it you; and yet you have 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 my eyes, 9Verse 9. but have done evil above all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods, molten images, to provoke me to anger, and have cast me behind your back;
10Verse 10. therefore, behold, I will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam everyone who urinates on a wall, he who is shut up and he who is left at large in Israel, and will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung, until it is all gone. 11Verse 11. The dogs will eat he who belongs to Jeroboam who dies in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field: for Yahweh has spoken it.”’
Fate of Abijah and Israel 1 Kings 14:12–16
12Verse 12. Arise therefore, and go to your house. When your feet enter into the city, the child will die. 13Verse 13. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam will come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward Yahweh, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 14Verse 14. Moreover Yahweh will raise up a king for himself over Israel, who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Even now. 15Verse 15. For Yahweh will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking Yahweh to anger.
16Verse 16. He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he has sinned, and with which he has made Israel to sin.”
Abijah's Death and Mourning 1 Kings 14:17–20
17Verse 17. Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed, and came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. 18Verse 18. All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet. 19Verse 19. The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 20Verse 20. The days which Jeroboam reigned were twenty two years, then he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam's Reign in Judah 1 Kings 14:21–24
21Verse 21. Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 22Verse 22. Judah did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23Verse 23. For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
24Verse 24. There were also sodomites in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which Yahweh drove out before the children of Israel.
Shishak’s Attack and Conclusion 1 Kings 14:25–31
25Verse 25. In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, 26Verse 26. and he took away the treasures of Yahweh’s house, and the treasures of the king’s house. He even took away all of it, including all the gold shields which Solomon had made. 27Verse 27. King Rehoboam made shields of brass in their place, and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 28Verse 28. It was so, that as often as the king went into Yahweh’s house, the guard bore them, and brought them back into the guard room.
29Verse 29. Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 30Verse 30. There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31Verse 31. Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place.
World English Bible (public domain)
Go deeper
Ask the AI about 1 Kings 14
Bring your question about the chapter, the key verse, or how this passage fits the rest of Scripture. Ask unlimited questions and keep study notes on every chapter. 7 days free, no card.
Main themes in 1 Kings 14
Judgment and Idolatry
In this chapter, judgment is pronounced on Jeroboam for his idolatry, specifically in verses 9-10 where Ahijah declares that Jeroboam has done 'evil above all who were before you' by making 'other gods' and provoking Yahweh to anger. This judgment results in the fate of his house being foretold, saying that he will 'utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam, as a man sweeps away dung.' The chapter reveals that such actions bring severe consequences.
Divine Prophecy
In 1 Kings 14, divine prophecy unfolds through Ahijah, who receives a direct message from Yahweh concerning Jeroboam and his son Abijah. In verses 5-6, Ahijah reveals his awareness of Jeroboam's wife's arrival and her identity, indicating God's intimate knowledge of the situation. The prophecy details the fate awaiting Jeroboam’s lineage, demonstrating that God's word is certain and will come to pass as foretold.
Legacy and Consequences
The legacy of Jeroboam is marked by the consequences of his actions, particularly in verses 13-14 where the fate of his son Abijah is foretold. It is noted that 'he only of Jeroboam will come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward Yahweh.' The chapter also describes how Jeroboam's sins will lead to a new king rising up who will 'cut off the house of Jeroboam,' indicating a lasting impact on future generations.
Faithfulness and Covenant
The covenant between Yahweh and Israel is critically examined in this chapter, particularly through Jeroboam's actions. In verse 7, Ahijah states, 'Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you prince over my people Israel,' contrasting Jeroboam's disobedience with the faithfulness that David showed. This theme is further illustrated by the acknowledgment of Israel's own unfaithfulness and the judgment that follows from Yahweh.
Chapter outline
How 1 Kings 14 unfolds
1 Kings 14:1–3 Jeroboam's Concern for Abijah
Jeroboam's son Abijah becomes sick, prompting Jeroboam to instruct his wife to disguise herself and go to Ahijah the prophet in Shiloh for guidance about their child (vv. 1-3).
1 Kings 14:4–6 Ahijah's Revelation
Ahijah, though blind, receives a message from Yahweh about Jeroboam's wife coming to him. He reveals her true identity and prepares to deliver 'heavy news' (vv. 4-6).
1 Kings 14:7–11 Judgment Pronounced on Jeroboam
Yahweh commands Ahijah to tell Jeroboam that because he has made 'other gods' and provoked Yahweh, his house will be destroyed, and 'the dogs will eat' those who die in the city (vv. 7-11).
1 Kings 14:12–16 Fate of Abijah and Israel
Ahijah tells Jeroboam's wife that upon her return to the city, 'the child will die' and that Israel will be uprooted due to Jeroboam's sins, with a future king to rise against his house (vv. 12-16).
1 Kings 14:17–20 Abijah's Death and Mourning
Abijah dies as prophesied, and all of Israel mourns for him, with his burial being noted as significant since he is the only one of Jeroboam's line to receive a proper burial (vv. 17-20).
1 Kings 14:21–24 Rehoboam's Reign in Judah
Rehoboam reigns in Judah for 17 years, during which Judah commits evil acts that provoke Yahweh, paralleling the sinful behavior of Israel (vv. 21-24).
1 Kings 14:25–31 Shishak’s Attack and Conclusion
Shishak king of Egypt attacks Jerusalem in Rehoboam's fifth year, taking treasures from the temple and royal house, marking a decline in Israel's status and strength (vv. 25-31).
Key verses
1 Kings 14:14Yahweh speaks to Jeroboam’s wife through Ahijah about the future, declaring that a king will arise to cut off 'the house of Jeroboam'.
Get a short devotional by email, one passage and one question a day.
One short email each morning, with the free study guide. Unsubscribe anytime. By subscribing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. We use your address only to send this email.
Study questions
Questions for studying 1 Kings 14
- observeIn v6, why does Ahijah call Jeroboam's wife by name?
- observeWhat does Yahweh say will happen to Jeroboam's house in vv. 10-11?
- interpretAhijah's message in vv. 7-9: what is the tension between Jeroboam's appointment and his actions?
- interpretThe prophecy regarding Israel's scattering in v15: what does it imply about God's judgment?
- applyWhen have you experienced consequences from a choice that seemed minor at the time?
For Bible groups
Study 1 Kings 14 with your group
A free one-page handout with the overview, key verse, outline and discussion questions, ready to print for everyone at the table.
Cross-references
Passages that echo 1 Kings 14
- 1 Kings 151 Kings 14:8 and 1 Kings 15:5Both commend faithfulness: 1 Kings 14:8 explains David kept my commandments, while 1 Kings 15:5 states David did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes.
- 1 Kings 161 Kings 14:11 and 1 Kings 16:4Both declare judgment: 1 Kings 14:11 says The dogs will eat he who belongs to Jeroboam, while 1 Kings 16:4 states The dogs will eat Baasha’s descendants.
- 2 Chronicles 121 Kings 14:21 and 2 Chronicles 12:13Both mention Rehoboam: 1 Kings 14:21 notes Rehoboam reigned in Judah, while 2 Chronicles 12:13 states So king Rehoboam strengthened himself.
- 1 Kings 111 Kings 14:2 and 1 Kings 11:29Both involve Jeroboam: 1 Kings 14:2 says Jeroboam said to his wife, while 1 Kings 11:29 states the prophet Ahijah found him on the way.
- 2 Kings 171 Kings 14:23 and 2 Kings 17:10Both describe high places: 1 Kings 14:23 says they built for themselves high places, while 2 Kings 17:10 states they set up for themselves pillars and Asherah poles.
- 1 Kings 221 Kings 14:24 and 1 Kings 22:46Both address sodomy: 1 Kings 14:24 says there were also sodomites in the land, while 1 Kings 22:46 states he put away the remnant of the sodomites.
Related chapters
Chapters that connect with 1 Kings 14
Elsewhere on ScriptureDepth
Where to go from here
- 1 Kings: the whole bookFirst Kings begins at Solomon's accession and ends with the kingdom broken and Ahab dead on the field at…
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 169Day 169 of 365: 1 Kings 14–17.
- WisdomWhat the Bible says about wisdom, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
- Today's devotionalOne verse and a short reflection, new every morning.
1 Kings 14: frequently asked questions
What is 1 Kings 14 about?+
What is the key verse in 1 Kings 14?+
What are the main themes of 1 Kings 14?+
Studying 1 Kings with a print Bible beside you? See our study Bible guides.