Ahijah's Message to Jeroboam's Wife

Jeroboam’s son Abijah became sick. Jeroboam told his wife to disguise herself and go to Shiloh, to Ahijah the prophet, who had said Jeroboam would become king. She took ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey to ask what would happen to the child.

Jeroboam’s wife went to Ahijah’s house. Ahijah was old and could not see, but the Lord had already told him that Jeroboam’s wife was coming and that she would pretend to be someone else. When he heard her at the door, he called her by name and said he had heavy news.

Ahijah told her to carry God’s message back to Jeroboam. God had raised him up over Israel, but Jeroboam had not been faithful. He had done evil, made other gods and images, and turned away from the Lord. Because of this, disaster would come on Jeroboam’s house, and his family would be swept away under judgement.

Then Ahijah spoke about the sick boy. When Jeroboam’s wife reached the city, the child would die. Yet this child alone from Jeroboam’s house would be buried and mourned by all Israel, because some good toward the Lord was found in him. Ahijah also said a king would rise and cut off Jeroboam’s house.

Ahijah said Israel too would be struck and scattered from the land because they had made Asherah poles and followed Jeroboam into sin. Jeroboam’s wife returned to Tirzah, and as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. All Israel buried him and mourned, just as the Lord had spoken through Ahijah.

The passage ends by saying that the rest of Jeroboam’s acts were written elsewhere. He reigned for twenty-two years, then died, and Nadab his son reigned after him. This painful visit showed that no disguise hid the truth from the Lord.