20240920

no disguise

1 Kings 14:1-20 (JDV)

1 Kings 14:1 At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became sick.
1 Kings 14:2 Jeroboam told his wife, “Go disguise yourself, so they won’t know that you’re Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh. The prophet Ahijah is there; it was he who told me about becoming king over these people.
1 Kings 14:3 Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”
1 Kings 14:4 Jeroboam’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.
1 Kings 14:5 But Yahveh had said to Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming soon to ask you about her son because he is sick. You are to say such and such to her. When she arrives, she will be disguised.”
1 Kings 14:6 When Ahijah heard her feet entering the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised? I have bad news for you.
1 Kings 14:7 Go tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what Yahveh God of Israel says: I raised you up from among the people, appointed you ruler over my people Israel,
1 Kings 14:8 tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you were not like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my sight.
1 Kings 14:9 You behaved more wickedly than all who were before you. To anger me, you have proceeded to make other gods and cast images for yourself, but you have flung me behind your back.
1 Kings 14:10 Because of all this, I am about to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will wipe out all of Jeroboam’s males, both slave and free, in Israel; I will sweep away the house of Jeroboam as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone!
1 Kings 14:11 Anyone who belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and anyone who dies in the field, the birds will eat, for Yahveh has spoken! ‘
1 Kings 14:12 “As for you, get up and go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the boy will die.
1 Kings 14:13 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 Yahveh God of Israel was found in him.
1 Kings 14:14 Yahveh will raise up for himself a king over Israel, who will wipe out the house of Jeroboam. This is the day, yes, even today!
1 Kings 14:15 Because Yahveh will strike Israel so that they will shake as a reed shakes in water. He will uproot Israel from this good soil that he gave to their ancestors. He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates because they made their Asherah poles, angering the Lord.
1 Kings 14:16 He will give up Israel because of Jeroboam’s sins that he committed and caused Israel to commit.”
1 Kings 14:17 Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As she was crossing the threshold of the house, the boy died.
1 Kings 14:18 He was buried, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of Yahveh he had spoken through his servant the prophet Ahijah.
1 Kings 14:19 As for the rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, how he waged war, and how he reigned, note that they are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
1 Kings 14:20 The length of Jeroboam’s reign was twenty-two years. He lay down with his fathers, and his son Nadab became king in his place.

no disguise

Jeroboam learned that no disguise would prevent the LORD from passing judgment on him for his failed leadership. He had been given Israel because of Solomon’s idolatry, and he failed to repair the damage. When he tried to appeal for the life of his son, he found that God was not going to listen. To whom much is given, much is required. Those of us who are privileged to know God’s word will be severely judged if we ignore its precepts.