Introduction

‘At that time, Abijah, son of Jeroboam, became ill, and Jeroboam said to his wife, ‘Go, disguise yourself, so you won’t be recognised as the wife of Jeroboam. Then go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people. Take ten loaves of bread with you, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.’ So Jeroboam’s wife did what he said and went to Ahijah’s house in Shiloh. Now Ahijah could not see; his sight was gone because of his age. But the LORD had told Ahijah, ‘Jeroboam’s wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill, and you are to give her such and such an answer. When she arrives, she will pretend to be someone else.’ So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretence? 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 commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes. You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and turned your back on me. ‘Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel—slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns dung, until it is all gone. Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country. The LORD has spoken!’ ‘As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD, the God of Israel, has found anything good. ‘The LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam. Even now, this is beginning to happen. And the LORD will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they aroused the LORD’s anger by making Asherah poles. And he will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.’ Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the LORD had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah. The other events of Jeroboam’s reign, his wars and how he ruled, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel. He reigned for twenty-two years and then rested with his ancestors. And Nadab his son succeeded him as king.’ 1 Kings 14:1-20

AHIJAH’S PROPHECY AGAINST JEROBOAM

When Jeroboam’s son, Abijah, became ill, he told his wife to disguise herself so she wouldn’t be recognised as the wife of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:1-2. She was to go and see the prophet Ahijah, who lived in Shiloh, 1 Kings 14:2, where possibly all the prophets lived at this time, 2 Kings 2:1-25.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning Abijah.

‘We see by this name that Jeroboam did not intend to desert the worship of Yahweh, since its signification is ‘Yahweh is my father,’ or ‘Yahweh is my desire,’ Job 34:36.’

His wife disguised herself and took ten loaves of bread, cakes, and honey, 1 Kings 14:3. This was customary when visiting a prophet to provide some food for him. By doing so, you showed him respect and acknowledged he was dedicating his life to the work of the Lord, 1 Corinthians 9:1-14.

The undercover plan failed because God informed Ahijah about who was coming to visit him and what was about to happen, 1 Kings 14:4-5. There’s no doubt that Ahijah was a real prophet because he couldn’t see, but as soon as he heard the footsteps, he immediately knew it was Jeroboam’s wife because told him earlier, 1 Kings 14:6.

No doubt Jeroboam’s wife concluded that Ahijah was a real prophet, but the news she got from him wasn’t good. Ahijah tells her that God raised Jeroboam up from among the people and appointed him ruler over His people Israel, 1 Kings 14:7.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.

‘As Jeroboam’s appointment to the kingdom had been formally announced to him by the prophet Ahijah, so the same prophet is commissioned to acquaint him with his forfeiture of it, 1 Samuel 15:26-28.’

It was God who tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to Jeroboam, but Jeroboam was not like David, who kept God’s commands and followed Him with all his heart, doing only what was right in God’s eyes, 1 Kings 14:8.

Jeroboam had done more evil than all who lived before him and he made for himself other gods, idols made of metal and he has aroused God’s anger and turned his back on God, 1 Kings 14:9.

Jeroboam had completely turned his back on God, he took over as Israel’s leader, 1 Kings 12:1-17, he built altars in Bethel and Dan, 1 Kings 12:25-33, He appointed anyone who wanted to be a priest, even though they weren’t from the tribe of Levi, 1 Kings 13:33. All of this was done so that he could maintain his political power.

As a result of his sinfulness, God is going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:10. God Himself was going to raise up someone who would cut off Jeroboam’s household.

And even though Abijah was permitted to be buried, no one else from Jeroboam’s household would die with dignity, because when they die, they would be eaten by animals and birds, 1 Kings 14:11 / Psalms 59:6 / Psalms 59:14.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.

‘All the males of the family of Jeroboam were put to death by Baasha, 1 Kings 15:28-29. The phrase ‘will cut off,’ etc., appears to have been a common expression among the Jews from the time of David, 1 Samuel 25:22, to that of Jehu, 2 Kings 9:8, but scarcely either before or after. We may suspect that, where the author of Kings uses it, he found it in the documents which he consulted.’

Notice that Ahijah told her as soon as she returns home and steps foot into the city, her child would die, 1 Kings 14:12. Jeroboam’s son, Abijah was going to die, but God would allow him to be buried because He found some good in him, 1 Kings 14:13, but because Abijah was to die, this would bring an end to the kinship lineage of Jeroboam.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Far be it from God to destroy the righteous with the wicked. God respects even a little good, because it is a seed from Himself. The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed.’

God is now in the process of raising up another king for Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:14. God is going to strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water, 1 Kings 14:15.

Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.

‘See this prophecy fulfilled, 1 Kings 15:28-30, when Baasha destroyed all the house and posterity of Jeroboam.’

God was going to ‘uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their ancestors and scatter them beyond the Euphrates River,’ 1 Kings 14:15 / Deuteronomy 29:28.

This was a prophecy speaking about Israel’s Assyrian captivity, which took place around 722 B.C. The Assyrians came and conquered the northern kingdom and took the ten tribes into captivity beyond the Euphrates River.

Not only will they be taken into captivity, but God is going to give Israel up, 1 Kings 14:16, which basically means God abandoned them to reap the rewards of their own evil actions, Romans 1:24 / Romans 1:26 / Romans 1:28. Not only did Jeroboam sin, but he also caused Israel to sin, 1 Kings 14:16. He did this by doing the following.

1. He made paganism the official religion of Israel.

2. He consecrated priests of tribes other than that of Levi.

3. He erected pagan idols in Dan, Bethel, and Samaria.

4. He arrogantly intruded himself into the sacrifices.

5. He organised and promoted a corrupt Feast of Tabernacles, contrary to God’s law.

6. He persuaded the people to disobey God by not going to Jerusalem to worship.

7. He established and organised high places all over northern Israel.

For some reason, she returns to the city and her son, Abijah, dies, 1 Kings 14:17 / 2 Chronicles 14:1. Maybe she didn’t really believe what Ahijah had told her; if she did believe everything he told her, then surely, as a mother, she would stay away from the city altogether.

It’s possible that her love for her son was simply too great; her love for her son outweighed the words of the prophet. They buried Abijah, and all Israel mourned for him, just as God said they would, 1 Kings 14:18 / 1 Kings 14:12.

Notice that ‘other events of Jeroboam’s reign, his wars and how he ruled, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel’, 1 Kings 14:19 / 1 Kings 14:29 / 2 Chronicles 13:1-20.

The book of annals of the kings of Israel or the book of annals of the kings of Judah is mentioned several times in the Books of Kings and Chronicles. Although these books aren’t inspired, the writer obviously had access to these books.

The Books of 1 and 2 Kings were written with a focus on the history of Israel, whilst 1 and 2 Chronicles were written with a focus on the southern kingdom. Jeroboam reigned for twenty-two years and then rested with his ancestors, and Nadab, his son, succeeded him as king, 1 Kings 14:20.

REHOBOAM KING OF JUDAH

‘Rehoboam, son of Solomon, was king 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 out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed, they stirred up his jealous anger more than those who were before them had done. They also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. There were even male shrine prostitutes in the land; the people engaged in all the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.’ 1 Kings 14:21-24

Solomon’s son, Rehoboam reigned in Judah from 931 to 913 B.C, 1 Kings 14:21. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name, 1 Kings 14:21.

His mother’s name was Naamah who was an Ammonite, 1 Kings 14:21. We get a more detailed account of his reign in 2 Chronicles 11:5-12:16. In the Chronicles account, we’re told that many priests fled to the south away from the apostasy which was happening in the north. They obviously didn’t agree with what was happening with Jeroboam’s religious reforms.

Chronicles also tell us that there was a war between Israel and Judah whilst Jeroboam and Rehoboam reigned. This almost led to the destruction of Jerusalem, but the leaders in the south repented, and so Jerusalem was spared.

Here we are told that ‘Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord’, 1 Kings 14:22. Their sin was worse than that of those who were before them, 1 Kings 14:22, which indicates that their apostasy was progressive.

They were progressively getting more and more involved in idolatry. Just as Jeroboam built altars to other gods in the north, 1 Kings 12:25-33, Rehoboam built altars to other gods in the south, 1 Kings 14:23-24.

Notice that the people were involved in ‘detestable practices’, 1 Kings 14:25. This again tells us they were spiralling out of control. Ezekiel rebuked the children of Israel and told them they had become worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, Ezekiel 16:47-52.

‘In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak, king of Egypt, attacked Jerusalem. He carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made. So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king went to the LORD’s temple, the guards bore the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom. As for the other events of Rehoboam’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. And Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. And Abijah, his son, succeeded him as king.’ 1 Kings 14:25-31

At this point in time, Judah was very vulnerable to attack because they were busy fighting those in the northern kingdom of Israel, 1 Kings 14:30 / 2 Chronicles 12:15. After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD, 2 Chronicles 12:1.

The reason why Shishak went to war against Jerusalem was that Israel was unfaithful to God, 2 Chronicles 12:2-4. In other words, it was God Himself who caused this to happen because Israel rebelled against God’s law, 1 Kings 14:25-28.

The prophet Shemaiah comes to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he tells them what God said, ‘You have abandoned me, therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak,’ 2 Chronicles 12:5. The leaders of Israel and Rehoboam humbled themselves and said, ‘The LORD is just’, 2 Chronicles 12:6.

When God saw that they humbled themselves, Shemaiah received word from God, which says, since they have humbled themselves, God won’t destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. His wrath won’t be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak, 2 Chronicles 12:7.

However, they will become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands, 2 Chronicles 12:8. In other words, they would now know the difference between serving God and serving Shishak, 1 Kings 14:25-26 / 2 Chronicles 12:8.

Shishak, the king of Egypt, attacked Jerusalem, for obvious reasons, 1 Kings 14:25. He wanted to plunder the place and take all the valuables away, 1 Kings 14:26 / 2 Chronicles 12:9.

Shishak took away the treasures of the temple, 1 Kings 10:16-17. He was probably told about all the wealth in Jerusalem and all the gold in the temple by Jeroboam when he was a fugitive in Egypt, 1 Kings 12:2.

Pharaoh Sheshonk I is probably the Shishak that’s mentioned in this text. He was the one who provided refuge for Jeroboam when he fled from Solomon, 1 Kings 11:40. However, after the kingdom of Israel was divided, Jeroboam possibly fell out of favour with the Egyptian Pharaoh.

Think about this, all the gold and other riches which Solomon had collected over the years were taken away within one generation by an Egyptian. It’s interesting that after Israel was freed from Egypt when they were enslaved, they came out of Egypt wealthier than they had ever been, Exodus 12:35-36 / Exodus 38:24, but now it appears that God is sending the gold back to Egypt again.

All the wealth and riches which Solomon had accumulated were gone within five years of his death. No wonder Solomon, before he died, declared that ‘everything is meaningless’, Ecclesiastes 1:2.

Rehoboam now makes bronze shields to replace the gold shields Solomon had made and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace, 1 Kings 14:27 / 2 Chronicles 12:10. Whenever he went to the temple, the guards bore the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom, 1 Kings 14:28 / 2 Chronicles 12:11.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning 1 Kings 14:28 / 2 Chronicles 12:11.

‘It appears from this verse that Rehoboam, notwithstanding that he encouraged, and perhaps secretly practised, idolatry, 1 Kings 14:22-24 / 1 Kings 15:3 / 1 Kings 15:12 / 2 Chronicles 12:1, maintained a public profession of faith in Yahweh, and attended in state the temple services, 1 Kings 9:25.’

Because Rehoboam humbled himself, God’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed and we are told that there was some good in Judah, 2 Chronicles 12:12.

Rehoboam established himself firmly in Jerusalem and continued as king and we are told that he was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, 2 Chronicles 12:13.

God had forbidden the Israelites to intermarry with foreigners, but Rehoboam’s mother was an Ammonitess, 1 Kings 14:31 / 2 Chronicles 12:13. Rehoboam did evil because he hadn’t set his heart on seeking the LORD, 2 Chronicles 12:14.

The events of Rehoboam’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the records of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer that deal with genealogies, 2 Chronicles 12:15. 1 Kings 14:29 tells us that they are ‘written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah,’ 1 Kings 14:29.

The war between Jeroboam and Rehoboam was commonplace at this point in time, 1 Kings 14:30 / 2 Chronicles 12:15, but Rehoboam died and was buried in Jerusalem, 1 Kings 14:31 / 2 Chronicles 12:16 / 1 Kings 11:43. Abijah, also known as Abijam, now becomes king of Judah, 1 Kings 14:31 / 2 Chronicles 12:16.

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