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Nach YomiI Kings · מלכים א׳Chapter 14

I Kings 14

מלכים א׳ ׀ךק י׮ד

Section: נביאים · נביאים ךאשונים | Book: I Kings | Chapter: 14 of 22 | Day: 114 of 742

Date: June 5, 2026

קלאוד על הנ׮ך

Chapter 14 is the divine reckoning for the apostasies of chapters 12-13. Jeroboam’s son Abijah falls sick, and the king who erected golden calves at Dan and Bethel now needs a true prophet of the God of Israel. The chapter’s opening scene — Jeroboam sending his disguised wife (ותשתנית) to Ahijah the Shilonite — is one of the most psychologically rich vignettes in Sefer Melakhim. Ahijah is the same prophet who, years earlier, tore his new garment into twelve pieces and granted Jeroboam ten tribes (chapter 11). The king who once received the kingdom from this prophet now fears to face him as himself. Radak’s comment captures the irony with precision: Jeroboam knew Ahijah hated him for turning from the Lord, so he hoped a disguise would buy him a favorable oracle. The implicit calculus is grotesque — Jeroboam still believes God’s word, since he sent his wife on the strength of Ahijah’s earlier prophecy about his kingship, yet he imagines that same God’s prophet can be deceived by a costume change.

The encounter that follows is constructed with theatrical care. Ahijah is blind, his eyes “set” (קמו עיניו) from age, so a disguise should have worked perfectly. But the Lord forewarns him: “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam comes to inquire of you concerning her son.” When Ahijah hears the sound of her feet at the doorway, he greets her by name — “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why feign yourself another?” — and immediately delivers a “harsh thing” (קשה). The oracle reaches back to chapter 11: God raised Jeroboam from among the people, tore the kingdom from David’s house, gave it to him — and Jeroboam responded by making other gods and molten images, casting God behind his back. The punishment is total: every male of his house will be cut off, dogs will eat his urban dead and birds his rural dead, his house will be swept away “as one sweeps dung.” Chazal (Mo’ed Katan 28b, cited by Rashi and Radak) preserve a small but devastating note about the one exception, the son Abijah: he alone of Jeroboam’s house will receive proper burial because some “good thing” was found in him — he abandoned the watchposts (׀ךדסאות) his father set on the roads to prevent Israel from making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and went up himself.

Verses 15-16 expand the oracle from the dynasty to the nation. Israel will be struck “as a reed is shaken in water,” uprooted from this good land and scattered beyond the river. Here the chapter reaches forward across nearly two and a half centuries to the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom under Tiglath-Pileser and Shalmaneser (II Kings 17). Radak makes the identification explicit: “beyond the river” means beyond the Euphrates, to Halah and Habor by the river of Gozan. Jeroboam’s sin — the calves at Dan and Bethel and the asherim that followed — is named here as the root cause of an exile still generations away. Then, in a single understated verse, the boy dies the moment his mother crosses the threshold of her home in Tirzah, exactly as Ahijah said. All Israel mourns him. The prophet’s word is vindicated.

The chapter then pivots southward, in a structural device that will recur throughout Sefer Melakhim: a regnal summary of Jeroboam (twenty-two years, succeeded by Nadab), then a parallel account of Rehoboam in Judah. The verdict on Judah is shocking. One expects the southern kingdom — with its Temple, its Davidic king, its capital in the city God chose for His name — to serve as the foil to Jeroboam’s apostasy. Instead, verse 22 says Judah did evil “and provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done.” They built bamot (high places), matzevot (pillars), and asherim on every high hill and under every leafy tree; there was even a kadesh in the land — cultic prostitution. Rashi flags the tragedy with a two-word comment on the phrase “the city the Lord chose”: ואף על ×€×™ כן — “and even so.” Even with Jerusalem chosen, even with the Temple standing, they sinned. The note about Rehoboam’s mother Naamah the Ammonitess is repeated twice (verses 21 and 31), and Radak and Metzudat David both read this as the explanation: he followed the practices of his mother’s pagan home until the day he died.

The chapter closes with the Shishak invasion in Rehoboam’s fifth year — Pharaoh’s army takes the treasures of the Temple and the palace, including the golden shields Solomon made. Rehoboam replaces them with bronze, ceremonially carried before him by his runners. The image is unforgettable: a king who has lost the gold of his father’s glory and parades through the Temple courtyard with bronze counterfeits, returning them each time to the guardroom. Rashi, following a midrash, identifies Shishak as Pharaoh Necho and reads the name as שוקק — the pharaoh who had always craved the ivory throne of his son-in-law Solomon, and now finally took it. The chapter ends with continual war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam “all the days,” and Rehoboam dies, buried in the City of David, succeeded by Abijam. Two kingdoms, both judged; one prophet, one fulfilled word; and a long arc of decline now visibly underway.

׀ךק י׮ד · Chapter 14

׀סוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

ב֌֞עֵ֣ת הַה֎֔יא ח־ל־֖ה אֲב֎י֌֥֞ה בֶן֟י֞ךׇבְע֞֜ם׃

English:

At that time, Abijah, a son of Jeroboam, fell sick.

׀סוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֚אמֶך י֞ךׇבְע֞֜ם לְא֎שְׁת֌֗וֹ קրו֌מ֎י נ־א֙ וְה֎שְׁת֌ַנ֌֎֔ית וְלֹ֣א יֵ֜דְע֔ו֌ כ֌֎י֟[אַ֖ת֌ְ] (אתי) אֵ֣שֶׁת י֞ךׇבְע֑֞ם וְה֞לַ֣כְת֌ְ שׁ֎לֹ֗ה ה֎נ֌ֵה֟שׁ֞ם֙ אֲח֎י֌֣֞ה הַנ֌֞ב֎֔יא הו֌א֟ד֎ב֌ֶ֥ך ע֞לַ֛י לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל֟ה֞ע֥֞ם הַז֌ֶ֜ה׃

English:

Jeroboam said to his wife, “Go and disguise yourself, so that you will not be recognized as Jeroboam’s wife, and go to Shiloh. The prophet Ahijah lives there, the one who predicted that I would be king over this people.

Jeroboam tells his wife to disguise herself and travel to Shiloh to consult the prophet Ahijah, the same prophet who had originally announced Jeroboam's kingship. Radak captures the moral logic: Jeroboam knew Ahijah hated him for turning from the Lord, so he hoped a costume could buy a favorable oracle from a prophet who would otherwise speak only doom -- a scheme that assumes the God of Israel can be outwitted by the same king who has rejected Him.

׀סוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וְל֞קַ֣חַת֌ְ ב֌ְ֠י֞דֵ֠ךְ עֲשׂ֞ך֚֞ה לֶ֧חֶם וְנ֎ק֌ֻד֎֛ים ו֌בַקְב֌ֻ֥ק ד֌ְבַ֖שׁ ו֌ב֣֞את אֵל֑֞יו ה֚ו֌א יַג֌֎֣יד ל־֔ךְ מַה֟י֌֎֜הְיֶ֖ה לַנ֌֞֜עַך׃

English:

Take with you ten loaves, some wafers, and a jug of honey, and go to him; he will tell you what will happen to the boy.”

She is to bring a modest gift -- ten loaves, wafers, and a jug of honey -- the customary present for a prophet, as in I Shmuel 9:7-8 when Saul's servant brings a gift before consulting Samuel. The humble offering is also part of the disguise: a queen would bring more.
ךש׎יRashi
וְנ֎ק֌ֻד֎ים. מ֮ין קְל֞יוֹת, מְיַב֌ְשׁ֎ין ב֌ְתַנ֌ו֌ך וְעוֹשׂ֎ין אוֹת֞ן קֶמַח לַעֲשׂוֹת מ֎מ֌ֶנ֌ו֌ מַאֲכ֞ל, שֶׁק֌וֹך֎ין לוֹ שְׁת֎ית֞א ב֌֎לְשׁוֹן ג֌ְמ֞ך֞א.
Biscuits. A type of parched grain, dried in an oven, and they make flour from it to make it into a dish called שתיתא, in the language of the Gemara.1It was a custom in those days to give a prophet a present before asking him a question. See I Shmuel 9:7,8.—Ralbag

׀סוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וַת֌ַրעַשׂ כ֌ֵן֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת י֞ךׇבְע֞֔ם וַת֌֞֙קׇם֙ וַת֌ֵ֣לֶךְ שׁ֎לֹ֔ה וַת֌֞בֹ֖א ב֌ֵ֣ית אֲח֎י֌֑֞ה וַאֲח֎י֌֞֙הו֌֙ לֹא֟י֞כֹ֣ל ל֎ךְא֔וֹת כ֌֎֛י ק֥֞מו֌ עֵינ֖֞יו מ֎שׂ֌ֵיב֜וֹ׃ {×€}

English:

Jeroboam’s wife did so; she left and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes had become sightless with age;

Jeroboam's wife reaches Shiloh and enters Ahijah's house. The narrator pauses to note that Ahijah is blind, his eyes 'set' from age, so a disguise should work perfectly -- setting up the irony that the blind prophet will nonetheless see right through her.

׀סוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַיהֹו֞֞ה א֞מַ֣ך אֶל֟אֲח֎י֌֞֗הו֌ ה֎נ֌ֵ֣ה אֵ֣שֶׁת י֞ךׇבְע֞֡ם ב֌֞א֣֞ה ל֎דְךֹשׁ֩ ד֌֞ב֚֞ך מֵע֎מ֌ְך֞ր אֶל֟ב֌ְנ֞ה֌֙ כ֌֎֜י֟חֹלֶ֣ה ה֔ו֌א כ֌֞זֹ֥ה וְכ֞זֶ֖ה ת֌ְדַב֌ֵ֣ך אֵלֶ֑יה֞ ו֎יה֎֣ￜￜ כְבֹא֞֔ה֌ וְה֖֮יא מ֎תְנַכ֌ֵך֞֜ה׃

English:

but GOD had said to Ahijah, “Jeroboam’s wife is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, who is sick. Speak to her thus and thus. When she arrives, she will be in disguise.”

While she is still on the road, God forewarns Ahijah that Jeroboam's wife is coming to inquire about her sick son and instructs him exactly what to say -- and that she will arrive disguised. The disguise is undone before she even sets foot in the door; what looked like Jeroboam's clever stratagem was futile from the start.
ךש׎יRashi
וְה֮יא מ֎תְנַכ֌ֵך֞ה. כ֌ְא֎ל֌ו֌ אֵינ֞ה֌ זֹאת.
She will be in disguise. As though it was not she.

׀סוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎י֩ כ֎שְׁמֹ֚עַ אֲח֎י֌֞֜הו֌ אֶת֟קրוֹל ךַגְלֶ֙יה֞֙ ב֌֞א֣֞ה בַ׀֌ֶ֔תַח וַי֌ֹ֕אמֶך ב֌ֹ֖א֎י אֵ֣שֶׁת י֞ךׇבְע֑֞ם ל֣֞מ֌֞ה ז֌ֶ֗ה אַ֚ת֌ְ מ֎תְנַכ֌ֵך֞֔ה וְא֣֞נֹכ֎֔י שׁ֞ל֥ו֌חַ אֵלַ֖י֎ךְ ק֞שׁ֞֜ה׃

English:

Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came through the door, and he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why are you disguised? I have a harsh message for you.

The moment Ahijah hears her footsteps at the threshold, he greets her by name -- 'Come in, wife of Jeroboam' -- and asks why she bothers to disguise herself, since he has been sent with a harsh message specifically for her. The disguise collapses before she has spoken a word.
ךש׎יRashi
שׁ֞לו֌חַ אֵלַי֎ךְ. מֵאֵת הַק֌֞דוֹשׁ ב֌֞ךו֌ךְ הו֌א ב֌֎שְׁל֎יחו֌ת ק֞שׁ֞ה.
Sent to tell you. From the Holy One Blessed Is He, with a harsh message.

׀סוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

לְכ֮֞י א֎מְך֎֣י לְי֞ךׇבְע֞֗ם כ֌ֹ֜ה֟א֞מַրך יְהֹו֞ה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל יַ֛עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ך הֲך֎מֹת֎֖יך֞ מ֎ת֌֣וֹךְ ה֞ע֑֞ם ו֞אֶת֌ֶנְך֣֞ נ־ג֮֔יד עַ֖ל עַמ֌֎֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃

English:

Go tell Jeroboam: Thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel: I raised you up from among the people and made you a ruler over My people Israel;

׀סוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

ו֞אֶקְךַրע אֶת֟הַמ֌ַמְל֞כ֞ה֙ מ֎ב֌ֵ֣ית ד֌֞ו֎֔ד ו֞אֶת֌ְנֶ֖ה֞ ל־֑ךְ וְלֹ֜א֟ה֞י֎֜ית֞ כ֌ְעַבְד֌֎֣י ד־ו֮֗ד אֲשֶׁך֩ שׁ֞מַ֚ך מ֎׊ְוֺתַ֜י וַ֜אֲשֶׁך֟ה֞לַրךְ אַ֜חֲךַי֙ ב֌ְכׇל֟לְב֞ב֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת ךַ֖ק הַי֌֞שׁ֥֞ך ב֌ְעֵינ֞֜י׃

English:

I tore away the kingdom from the House of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My sight.

׀סוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַת֌֣֞ךַע לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת מ֎כ֌ֹ֖ל אֲשֶׁך֟ה֞י֣ו֌ לְ׀֞נֶ֑יך֞ וַת֌ֵ֡לֶךְ וַת֌ַ֜עֲשֶׂה֟ל֌ְך֞֩ אֱלֹה֎֚ים אֲחֵך֎րים ו֌מַס֌ֵכוֹת֙ לְהַכְע֎יסֵ֔נ֎י וְאֹת֎֥י ה֎שְׁלַ֖כְת֌֞ אַחֲךֵ֥י גַו֌ֶ֜ך֞׃

English:

You have acted worse than all those who preceded you; you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke My anger; and Me you have cast behind your back.

The indictment expands: Jeroboam has done worse than all who came before him (which Metzudat David applies to Solomon and Rehoboam), making molten images and other gods to provoke God's anger, and casting the Lord behind his back -- like one who flings something behind him so as not to see it again. The image of God thrown over the shoulder is one of the strongest expressions of contempt in Tanakh.

׀סוק י׮ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

ל֞כֵ֗ן ה֮נְנֹ֮י מֵב֎րיא ך֞ע֞ה֙ אֶל֟ב֌ֵ֣ית י֞ךׇבְע֞֔ם וְה֎כְךַת֌֎րי לְי֞֜ךׇבְע֞ם֙ מַשְׁת֌֎֣ין ב֌ְק֎֔יך ע֞׊֥ו֌ך וְע֞ז֖ו֌ב ב֌ְי֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל ו֌ב֎֜עַךְת֌֎י֙ אַחֲךֵ֣י בֵית֟י֞ךׇבְע֞֔ם כ֌ַאֲשֶׁ֛ך יְבַעֵ֥ך הַג֌֞ל֖֞ל עַד֟ת֌ֻמ֌֜וֹ׃

English:

Therefore I will bring disaster upon the House of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, bond and free,abond and free Meaning of Heb. uncertain; possibly “kinsman and friend,” cf. 16.11. in Israel. I will sweep away the House of Jeroboam utterly, as dung is swept away.

The verdict on Jeroboam's house is total annihilation -- every male will be cut off, 'restrained and abandoned alike,' and his line will be swept away as one sweeps away dung. Rashi reads ע׊וך as one with backers and עזוב as one without; Radak takes it broadly -- no one shut up safely indoors, no one left in the field, will survive. The repeated image of being burned away 'until it is consumed' answers measure-for-measure Jeroboam's worship of fire-cast molten idols.
ךש׎יRashi
מַשְׁת֌֎ין ב֌ְק֎יך. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: י֞דַע מַד֌֞ע, מֵשׁ֎ית ב֌ְק֎יךוֹת ל֎ב֌וֹ. ע֞׊ו֌ך וְע֞זו֌ב. ע֞׊ו֌ך שֶׁי֌ֵשׁ לוֹ מַחֲז֎יק י־ד, כ֌ְמוֹ: זֶה יַעְ׊ֹך ב֌ְעַמ֌֎י, וְע֞זו֌ב, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ מַחֲז֎יק ב֌ַי֌֞ד. כ֌ַאֲשֶׁך יְבַעֵך. הַמְבַעֵך אֶת הַמ֌ַאֲכ֞ל ב֌ְ׀֎יו, לַעֲשׂוֹת ג֌֞ל֞ל, כ֌֞ךְ אֲב֞עֵך אַחֲך֞יו עַד ת֌ֻמ֌וֹ.
Male child. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, "one who knows knowledge," [i.e.,] he who places it into the walls of his heart.2See I Shmuel 25:22.3Alternatively, משתין בקי׹ refers to a dog who urinates on walls, i.e., the prophet is prophesying that the destruction will be so severe, that so much as a dog will not be left when the house of Yerovom is destroyed.—Radak Any that are restrained and that are abandoned. ע׊וך is one who has someone restraining him, as in, "This one will rule over My people."4I Shmuel 9:17. And עזוב is one who has no one restraining him. As one removes. As the one who digests food which [eventually] becomes dung,5Alternatively, גלל means "tooth," which consumes food completely.—Radak so will I expunge after him until he is totally consumed.6Alternatively, "I will completely remove the house of Yerovom, as one who sweeps out dung until it is thoroughly cleaned out.—Metzudas Dovid

׀סוק י׮א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

הַמ֌ֵ֚ת לְי֞ךׇבְע֞րם ב֌֞ע֎יך֙ יֹאכְל֣ו֌ הַכ֌ְל֞ב֎֔ים וְהַמ֌ֵת֙ ב֌ַשׂ֌֞דֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖ו֌ ע֣וֹף הַשׁ֌֞מ֑֞י֎ם כ֌֎֥י יְהֹו֖֞ה ד֌֎ב֌ֵ֜ך׃

English:

Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the town shall be devoured by dogs; and anyone who dies in the open country shall be eaten by the birds of the air; for GOD has spoken.

The mode of death extends the disgrace: anyone of Jeroboam's house who dies in the town will be eaten by dogs, anyone in the field by birds of the sky -- denied even burial, the most basic dignity owed to the dead. Metzudat David emphasizes that 'the Lord has spoken' guarantees the decree will hold; what looks like animal scavenging is in fact a divinely ordained sentence.

׀סוק י׮ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וְאַ֥ת֌ְ ￜￜ֖ו֌מ֎י לְכ֎֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ ב֌ְבֹא֥֞הֿ ךַגְלַ֛י֎ךְ ה֞ע֎֖יך֞ה ו֌מֵ֥ת הַי֌֞֜לֶד׃

English:

As for you, go back home; as soon as you set foot in the town, the child will die.

Ahijah dismisses her with a final instruction: go home -- but the moment her feet enter the city, the child will die. The geography becomes the timing of the death sentence.

׀סוק י׮ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וְס֞֜׀ְדו֌֟לրוֹ כׇל֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵל֙ וְק֞בְך֣ו֌ אֹת֔וֹ כ֌֎י֟זֶ֣ה לְבַד֌֔וֹ י֞בֹ֥א לְי֞ךׇבְע֖֞ם אֶל֟ק֑֞בֶך יַ֣עַן נ֎מְ׊֞א֟ב֞וֹ ד֌֞ב֣֞ך ט֗וֹב אֶל֟יְהֹו֛֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֖ל ב֌ְבֵ֥ית י֞ךׇבְע֞֜ם׃

English:

And all Israel shall lament over him and bury him; he alone of Jeroboam’s family shall be brought to burial, for in him alone of the House of Jeroboam has some devotion been found to the ETERNAL, the God of Israel.

All Israel will mourn the boy, and he alone of Jeroboam's house will receive proper burial -- because some 'good thing' was found in him toward the God of Israel. Rashi and Radak both cite Chazal (Mo'ed Katan 28b) that this 'good thing' was his abandoning the watchposts his father set on the roads to prevent Israel from making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The chapter's harshest oracle thus contains a single note of mercy, reserved for the only member of the house who had ever turned his face back toward Jerusalem.
ךש׎יRashi
ד֌֞ב֞ך טוֹב. שֶׁב֌֎ט֌ֵל מ֎שְׁמַךְת֌וֹ, שֶׁהוֹשׁ֎יבוֹ א־ב֮יו שׁוֹמֵך שֶׁל֌ֹא יַעֲלֶה א֎ישׁ ל֞ךֶגֶל, ו֌ב֎ט֌ֵל מ֎שְׁמַךְת֌וֹ וְע֞ל֞ה.
Something good. He abandoned his watch; for his father had stationed him as a sentry so that no person would go up [to Yerusholayim] on the pilgrimage festival. He abandoned his watch and went up.7See Maseches Mo'ed Katan 28b.

׀סוק י׮ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וְהֵק֎ים֩ יְהֹו֚֞ה ל֥וֹ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ך יַכְך֎֛ית אֶת֟ב֌ֵ֥ית י֞ךׇבְע֖֞ם זֶ֣ה הַי֌֑וֹם ו֌מֶ֖ה ג֌ַם֟ע֞֜ת֌֞ה׃

English:

Moreover, GOD will raise up a king over Israel who will destroy the House of Jeroboam, this day and even now.bthis day and even now Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

Ahijah broadens the prophecy beyond the present moment: God will raise up a king who will cut off Jeroboam's house both those alive now and those yet to be born. The cryptic phrase 'this day and even now' is read by Rashi and Metzudat David as covering both generations; Radak reads it as 'and what -- even now?' meaning this is only the beginning of troubles to come.
ךש׎יRashi
אֲשֶׁך יַכְך֎ית אֶת ב֌ֵית י֞ך֞בְע֞ם זֶה הַי֌וֹם ו֌מֶה ג֌ַם עַת֌֞ה. הַנ֌וֹל֞ד֎ים לוֹ הַי֌וֹם, וַאֲשֶׁך עֲת֎יד֎ין לְה֎ו֌֞לֵד לוֹ מֵעַת֌֞ה, כ֌֞ךְ ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן.
Who will cut off the house of Yerovom this day and also those that will be born. Those who are already born to him this day, and those who are destined to be born to him from now on, so did [Targum] Yonoson render.

׀סוק ט׮ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וְה֎כ֌֚֞ה יְהֹו֞֜ה אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֗ל כ֌ַאֲשֶׁ֚ך י֞נ֣ו֌ד הַק֌֞נֶה֮ ב֌ַמ֌ַ֒י֎ם֒ וְנ֞תַ֣שׁ אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֗ל מֵ֠עַ֠ל ה֞אֲד֞מ֚֞ה הַט֌וֹב֞րה הַז֌ֹאת֙ אֲשֶׁրך נ֞תַן֙ לַאֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְזֵך֖֞ם מֵעֵ֣בֶך לַנ֌֞ה֑֞ך יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁրך ע֞שׂו֌֙ אֶת֟אֲשֵׁ֣ךֵיהֶ֔ם מַכְע֎יס֎֖ים אֶת֟יְהֹו֞֜ה׃

English:

“GOD will strike Israel until it sways like a reed in water—and uproot Israel from this good land that was given to their ancestors, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have provoked GOD by the sacred postscsacred posts Used in worship of the goddess Asherah. that they have made for themselves.

The oracle expands from the dynasty to the nation: God will strike Israel until it sways like a reed in water and will uproot them from this good land, scattering them beyond the river -- a direct prophecy of the Assyrian exile recorded centuries later in II Kings 17. Radak identifies 'beyond the river' as the Euphrates -- Halah, Habor, and the river of Gozan -- where the ten tribes were eventually exiled. The cause is named: 'because they made their asherim, provoking the Lord.'

׀סוק ט׮ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וְי֎ת֌ֵ֖ן אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל ב֌֎גְלַ֞ל חַט֌ֹրאות י֞֜ךׇבְע֞ם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך ח־ט־֔א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ך הֶחֱט֎֖יא אֶת֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃

English:

Israel will be forsaken because of the sins that Jeroboam committed and led Israel to commit.”

The reason for the exile is restated and concentrated on its source: God will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam himself committed and the sins by which he led Israel to commit (with the golden calves, as Metzudat David specifies). The catastrophe two centuries later is being laid at Jeroboam's feet here, in his own lifetime.

׀סוק י׮ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַת֌֞֙קׇם֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת י֞ךׇבְע֞֔ם וַת֌ֵ֖לֶךְ וַת֌֞בֹ֣א ת֎ךְ׊֑֞ת֞ה ה֛֮יא ב֌֞א֥֞ה בְסַף֟הַב֌ַ֖י֎ת וְהַנ֌ַ֥עַך מֵ֜ת׃

English:

Jeroboam’s wife got up and left, and she went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of her house, the child died.

The oracle is fulfilled instantly. Jeroboam's wife rises, returns to Tirzah -- the seat of the northern kingdom in this era, before Omri builds Samaria -- and the moment she crosses the threshold of her own house, the boy dies, exactly as Ahijah said.

׀סוק י׮ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎קְב֌ְך֥ו֌ אֹת֛וֹ וַי֌֎סְ׀֌ְדו֌֟ל֖וֹ כ֌ׇל֟י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֑ל כ֌֎דְבַրך יְהֹו֞ה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך ד֌֎ב֌ֶ֔ך ב֌ְיַד֟עַבְד֌֖וֹ אֲח֎י֌֥֞הו֌ הַנ֌֞ב֎֜יא׃

English:

They buried him and all Israel lamented over him, in accordance with the word that GOD had spoken through the prophet Ahijah—God’s servant.

׀סוק י׮ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֙תֶך֙ ד֌֎בְךֵ֣י י֞ךׇבְע֞֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ך נ֎לְחַ֖ם וַאֲשֶׁ֣ך מ־ל־֑ךְ ה֎נ֌֣֞ם כ֌ְתו֌ב֎֗ים עַל֟סֵ֛׀ֶך ד֌֎בְךֵ֥י הַי֌֞מ֎֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃

English:

The other events of Jeroboam’s reign, how he fought and how he ruled, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

The chapter shifts to a closing regnal summary: Jeroboam reigned twenty-two years and was succeeded by his son Nadab -- whose reign, as the next chapter will show, fulfills Ahijah's prophecy of total destruction within months. The understated transition belies the cataclysm to come.

׀סוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וְהַי֌֞מ֎ים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך מ֞לַ֣ךְ י֞ךׇבְע֞֔ם עֶשְׂך֎֥ים ו֌שְׁת֌ַ֖י֎ם שׁ֞נ֑֞ה וַי֌֎שְׁכ֌ַב֙ ע֎ם֟אֲבֹת֞֔יו וַי֌֎מְלֹ֛ךְ נ֞ד֥֞ב ב֌ְנ֖וֹ ת֌ַחְת֌֞֜יו׃ {×€}

English:

Jeroboam reigned twenty-two years; then he rested with his ancestors, and his son Nadab succeeded him as king.

׀סוק כ׮א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

ו֌ךְחַבְע֞ם֙ ב֌ֶן֟שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה מ֞לַ֖ךְ ב֌֎יהו֌ד֑֞ה ב֌ֶן֟אַךְב֌֞ע֎֣ים וְאַחַ֣ת שׁ֞נ֞ה֩ ךְחַבְע֚֞ם ב֌ְמׇלￜￜכ֜וֹ ו֌֜שְׁבַ֚ע עֶשְׂךֵ֥ה שׁ֞נ֣֞ה ׀ מ֞לַ֣ךְ ב֌֎יךו֌שׁ֞לַ֗͏֎ם ה֞֠ע֎֠יך אֲשֶׁך֟ב֌֞חַ֚ך יְהֹו֞֜ה ל֞שׂ֚ו֌ם אֶת֟שְׁמ֥וֹ שׁ֞ם֙ מ֎כ֌ֹל֙ שׁ֎בְטֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֔ל וְשֵׁ֣ם א֎מ֌֔וֹ נַעֲמ֖֞ה ה֞עַמ֌ֹנ֎֜ית׃

English:

Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon had become king in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem—the city GOD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to establish God’s name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess.

The narrative now pivots southward to Judah. Rehoboam, son of Solomon, becomes king at forty-one and reigns seventeen years in Jerusalem -- 'the city the Lord chose to set His name there.' Rashi's two-word comment captures the tragedy: ואף על ×€×™ כן -- 'and even so,' he sinned despite all this. The double mention of his Ammonite mother Naamah (here and in verse 31) is read by Metzudat David and Radak as the explanation: he resembled the spiritual source from which he came, the pagan culture of his mother's house.
ךש׎יRashi
ה֞ע֎יך אֲשֶׁך ב֌֞חַך ה'. וְאַף עַל ׀֌֎י כֵן:
The city that Adonoy had chosen. Yet, even so,

׀סוק כ׮ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֧עַשׂ יְהו֌ד֛֞ה ה֞ךַ֖ע ב֌ְעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹו֑֞ה וַיְקַנְא֣ו֌ אֹת֗וֹ מ֎כ֌ֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך ע֞שׂ֣ו֌ אֲבֹת֞֔ם ב֌ְחַט֌ֹאת֖֞ם אֲשֶׁ֥ך ח֞ט֞֜או֌׃

English:

Judah did what was displeasing to GOD, provoking more outrage than their ancestors had by the sins that they committed.

Judah did what was evil in God's eyes, provoking Him to jealousy more than even their ancestors had with their sins. The verdict is shocking precisely because it concerns the southern kingdom -- the kingdom with the Temple, the Davidic throne, and Jerusalem -- and not the openly idolatrous north.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌ַעַשׂ יְהו֌ד֞ה ה֞ך֞ע. וְלֹא נ֞תְנו֌ זֶה עַל ל֎ב֌֞ם. וַיְקַנְאו֌. לְשׁוֹן קְנ֮יט־ה.
And Yehudah did what was evil. And they did not pay attention to this. And they angered Him. An expression of provocation.

׀סוק כ׮ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎בְנ֚ו֌ גַם֟הֵ֧מ֌֞ה ל֞הֶ֛ם ב֌֞מ֥וֹת ו֌מַ׊֌ֵב֖וֹת וַאֲשֵׁך֎֑ים עַ֚ל כ֌ׇל֟ג֌֎בְע֣֞ה גְבֹה֞֔ה וְתַ֖חַת כ֌ׇל֟עֵ֥ץ ךַעֲנ֞֜ן׃

English:

They too built for themselves shrines, pillars, and sacred postsdsacred posts See note at v. 15. on every high hill and under every leafy tree;

The forms of Judah's apostasy are catalogued: high places (bamot), pillars (matzevot), and asherim 'on every high hill and under every leafy tree' -- the stock phrase Tanakh reserves for full-scale Canaanite-style worship. Rashi notes that 'they too' means Judah behaved no differently than the other tribes; the privileged kingdom collapsed to the level of its neighbors.
ךש׎יRashi
ג֌ַם הֵמ֌֞ה. כ֌֎שְׁא֞ך הַש֌ְׁב֞ט֎ים.
They too. Like the other tribes.

׀סוק כ׮ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וְגַם֟ק֞דֵ֖שׁ ×”Öž×™ÖžÖ£×” ב֞א֑֞ךֶץ ע֞שׂ֗ו֌ כ֌ְכֹל֙ הַת֌וֹעֲבֹ֣ת הַג֌וֹי֎֔ם אֲשֶׁך֙ הוֹך֎֣ישׁ יְהֹו֞֔ה מ֎׀֌ְנֵ֖י ב֌ְנֵ֥י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֜ל׃ {×€}

English:

there were also consecrated workerseconsecrated workers Or “retainers”; meaning of Heb. qadesh uncertain. in the land. [Judah] imitated all the abhorrent practices of the nations that GOD had dispossessed before the Israelites.

Even cultic prostitution -- a kadesh -- was practiced in the land. The verse explicitly equates Judah's behavior with 'all the abhorrent practices of the nations the Lord dispossessed before Israel,' the same nations whose abominations had been the original reason for the conquest. The southern kingdom has reproduced inside the land the very practices that had once made Canaan unworthy to keep it.
ךש׎יRashi
ק֞דֵשׁ. נ֎או֌ף.
Prostitution. Prostitution.

׀סוק כ׮ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֛י ב֌ַשׁ֌֞נ֥֞ה הַחֲמ֎ישׁ֎֖ית לַמ֌ֶ֣לֶךְ ךְחַבְע֑֞ם ע֞ל֛֞ה (שושק) [שׁ֎ישַׁ֥ק] מֶלֶךְ֟מ֎׊ְךַ֖י֎ם עַל֟יְךו֌שׁ֞ל֞֜͏֎ם׃

English:

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt marched against Jerusalem

In Rehoboam's fifth year, Shishak king of Egypt marches against Jerusalem -- the first foreign incursion against the southern kingdom since the kingdom split. Rashi, following a midrashic tradition, identifies Shishak with Pharaoh Necho and reads his name as שוקק, 'one who craves,' a pharaoh who had always longed for the ivory throne of his son-in-law Solomon and now finally came to take it.
ךש׎יRashi
שׁ֎ישַׁק. מ֞׊֎ינו֌ ב֌ְמ֎דְךַשׁ (שׁ֎יך הַש֌ׁ֎יך֎ים) הו֌א ׀֌ַךְעֹה נְכֹה, וְנ֮קְ׹־א שׁ֎ישַׁק, עַל שֶׁה֞י֞ה שׁוֹקֵק ו֌מ֎תְאַו֌ֶה כ֌֞ל י־מ־יו לְכ֎ס֌ֵא הַש֌ֵׁן שֶׁה֞י֞ה ל֎שְׁלֹמֹה חֲת֞נוֹ, וְעַכְשׁ֞יו ע֞ל֞ה ו֌לְק֞חוֹ.
Shishak. We find in Midrash Shir Hashirim that this was Pharaoh Neco. He was called Shishak because all his life he longed for [=שוקק] the ivory throne that belonged to Shlomo his son-in-law, and now, he went up and took it.

׀סוק כ׮ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎ק֌ַ֞ח אֶת֟אֹ׊ְך֣וֹת ב֌ֵית֟יְהֹו֞֗ה וְאֶת֟א֜וֹ׊ְךוֹת֙ ב֌ֵ֣ית הַמ֌ֶ֔לֶךְ וְאֶת֟הַכ֌ֹ֖ל ל־ק־֑ח וַי֌֎ק֌ַח֙ אֶת֟כ֌ׇל֟מ֞ג֎נ֌ֵ֣י הַז֌֞ה֞֔ב אֲשֶׁ֥ך ע֞שׂ֖֞ה שְׁלֹמֹ֜ה׃

English:

and carried off the treasures of the House of GOD and the treasures of the royal palace. He carried off everything; he even carried off all the golden shields that Solomon had made.

Shishak strips both the Temple and the royal palace, carrying off 'everything' -- which Rashi specifies as including Solomon's golden shields and (per the midrash) the ivory throne itself. Within a single generation of Solomon's death, the splendor he built has been emptied out by a foreign king.
ךש׎יRashi
וְאֶת הַכ֌ֹל ל֞קַח. אֶת הַכ֌֎ס֌ֵא, הֶח֞ב֎יב מ֮ן הַכ֌ֹל.
He took everything. The throne, that was dearer to him than everything.

׀סוק כ׮ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

וַי֌ַ֚עַשׂ הַמ֌ֶրלֶךְ ךְחַבְע֞ם֙ ת֌ַחְת֌֞֔ם מ֞ג֎נ֌ֵ֖י נְחֹ֑שֶׁת וְה֎׀ְק֎֗יד עַל֟יַד֙ שׂ֞ךֵ֣י ה־׹־ש֮֔ים הַשׁ֌ֹ֣מְך֎֔ים ׀֌ֶ֖תַח ב֌ֵ֥ית הַמ֌ֶ֜לֶךְ׃

English:

King Rehoboam had bronze shields made instead, and he entrusted them to the officers of the guardfguard Lit. “runners.” who guarded the entrance to the royal palace.

Rehoboam replaces the golden shields with bronze and entrusts them to his palace guard. The substitution is the chapter's most poignant image -- a king reduced to displaying counterfeit metal where his father had displayed gold, the public face of his kingship now a downgraded imitation.

׀סוק כ׮ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֛י מ֎ד֌ֵי֟בֹ֥א הַמ֌ֶ֖לֶךְ ב֌ֵ֣ית יְהֹו֑֞ה י֎שׂ֌֞או֌ם֙ ה־׹־ש֮֔ים וֶהֱשׁ֎יב֖ו֌ם אֶל֟ת֌֥֞א ה֞ך֞׊֎֜ים׃

English:

Whenever the king went into the House of GOD, the guards would carry them and then bring them back to the armory of the guards.

The shields are ceremonially carried before Rehoboam by his runners whenever he enters the Temple and then returned to the guardroom afterward. Radak suggests the practice may have served as a defense against assassination, or simply for the visible pomp of kingship -- but the running back and forth of bronze counterfeits has the quality of a hollow performance, an empty echo of Solomonic glory.
ךש׎יRashi
י֎ש֌ׂ֞או֌ם ה־׹־ש֮ים. לְ׀֞נ֞יו לְכ֞בוֹד, וְאַחַך כ֌֞ךְ יְשׁ֎יבו֌ם אֶל ת֌֞א שֶׁה֞ך֞׊֎ים עוֹמְד֎ים שׁ֞ם ת֌֞מ֎יד.
The runners would carry them. Before him, in [his] honor,8Alternatively, it may have been done as protection against a rebellion.—Radak and afterwards, they would return them9I.e., the copper shields. to the chamber where the runners were always stationed.

׀סוק כ׮ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֛תֶך ד֌֎בְךֵ֥י ךְחַבְע֖֞ם וְכׇל֟אֲשֶׁ֣ך ע֞שׂ֑֞ה הֲלֹא֟הֵ֣מ֌֞ה כְתו֌ב֎֗ים עַל֟סֵ֛׀ֶך ד֌֎בְךֵ֥י הַי֌֞מ֎֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהו֌ד֞֜ה׃

English:

The other events of Rehoboam’s reign, and all his actions, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

׀סוק ל׳ · Verse 30

Hebrew:

ו֌מ֎לְח֞מ֚֞ה ה֞יְת֧֞ה בֵין֟ךְחַבְע֛֞ם ו֌בֵ֥ין י֞ךׇבְע֖֞ם כ֌ׇל֟הַי֌֞מ֎֜ים׃

English:

There was continual war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

Despite the prophet Shemaiah's earlier prohibition in chapter 12 against Rehoboam attacking the north, the two kings were at war 'all the days' -- which Radak explains by distinguishing periods: Shemaiah's word held at the very beginning, but later wars resumed and continued for the rest of their reigns. The split kingdom is now permanent, contested, and constantly bleeding.

׀סוק ל׮א · Verse 31

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎שְׁכ֌ַ֚ב ךְחַבְע֞֜ם ע֎ם֟אֲבֹת֞֗יו וַי֌֎ק֌֞בֵրך ע֎ם֟אֲבֹת֞יו֙ ב֌ְע֎֣יך ד֌֞ו֎֔ד וְשֵׁ֣ם א֎מ֌֔וֹ נַעֲמ֖֞ה ה֞עַמ֌ֹנ֎֑ית וַי֌֎מְלֹ֛ךְ אֲב֎י֌֥֞ם ב֌ְנ֖וֹ ת֌ַחְת֌֞֜יו׃ {×€}

English:

Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David; his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. His son Abijam succeeded him as king.

Rehoboam dies and is buried in the City of David, succeeded by his son Abijam. The narrator repeats once more that his mother was Naamah the Ammonitess -- a detail Metzudat David reads as the obituary's final note: until the day he died, his deeds resembled his mother's idolatrous origins.

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