Ahijah’s Prophecy against Jeroboam
1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. 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. Ahijah the prophet is there, who said that I would be king over this people. 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.”
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 weak because of his age. 5 The Lord said to Ahijah, “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.”
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. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because I exalted you from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel 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, 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. 10 Therefore, I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam:
I will cut off from Jeroboam every male,
both slave and free, in Israel.
I will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam,
as a man sweeps away dung, until it is all gone.
11 Anyone who belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city,
the dogs will eat,
and anyone who dies in the field,
the birds of the sky will eat,
for the Lord has spoken it.’
12 Arise therefore and go to your house. When your feet enter into the city, the child will die. 13 All Israel will mourn for him and bury him, Of Jeroboam, he alone will receive a proper burial, because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover the Lord will raise up a king for himself over Israel, who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day! Yes, even now.
15 For the Lord 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 the Lord to anger. 16 He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he has committed, and with which he has caused Israel to commit.”
17 Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. 18 All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.
Nadab Succeeds Jeroboam
19 The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 20 The days which Jeroboam reigned were 22 years, then he rested with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.
Rehoboam’s Wicked Reign in Judah
21 Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was 41 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 22 Judah did that which was evil in the Lord’s sight, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23 For they also built for themselves high places, sacred pillars, and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. 24 There were also sodomites in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the Lord drove out before the Israelites.
Shishak Raids Jerusalem
25 In the fifth year of king Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, 26 and he took away the treasures of the Lord’s house and the treasures of the king’s house. He took away all of it, including all the gold shields which Solomon had made. 27 King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 28 It was so, that as often as the king went into the Lord’s house, the guard bore them and brought them back into the guard room.
29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31 Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place.