1 Kings 14

• disguise yourself: Jeroboam knew his wrongdoing kept him from approaching God's prophet. He understood that the prophet who foretold his rise to Israel's throne could also predict the child's future and possibly ask for God's help.

• Shiloh was destroyed by the Philistines during Eli's time (1 Samuel 4). Before that, the tabernacle was there (Joshua 18:1; 1 Samuel 1:3). A small community lived there again, but the area stayed mostly undeveloped during the divided kingdom.

People usually brought a gift to a prophet when asking for advice (2 Kings 5:5; 8:8). King Jeroboam’s wife brought common items to help with her disguise.

You are to say such and such to her: The Lord often told prophets to share only the message he gave them (see 1 Kings 22:14; Numbers 22:38; 23:12; Jeremiah 7:2; Amos 7:14–15).

God blessed Jeroboam and made him ruler in Israel (see study note on 1 Kings 1:35). However, Jeroboam misused this position by creating a false religion.

• Unlike David, who truly repented for his sins (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51:2–4), Jeroboam did more evil than those before him. Even with clear signs of God's displeasure and warnings of judgment (1 Kings 13:33), he did not change his ways. His sins would lead to serious consequences for his family and descendants (1 Kings 13:34; 14:10–11, 14) and eventually affect the entire northern kingdom (14:16).

• molten images: see 1 Kings 12:26–30.

eaten by dogs: This warning of punishment for Jeroboam’s family followed the legal curses for unfaithfulness (Deuteronomy 28:26; see 1 Kings 16:4; 21:23; 2 Kings 9:35–37).

cut off the house of Jeroboam: The prophecy came true quickly. God brought Baasha to power, and he killed Jeroboam’s son Nadab in Nadab’s second year as king (1 Kings 15:27–28).

People believed Asherah was the partner of El, the ancient Canaanite god. Worship of Asherah involved fertility rituals at sacred trees or poles. This practice became a recurring sin for God's people (1 Kings 15:13; 16:33; 18:19; Deuteronomy 16:21; Judges 3:7).

• Tirzah was located on the road from Shechem to Beth-shan. Known for its beauty (Song of Solomon 6:4), the city served as a royal retreat and became the capital of the northern kingdom (1 Kings 16:6, 8).

• The child died, as Ahijah had predicted.

• how he waged war: Jeroboam often fought border battles with Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:30).

• The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel is mentioned seventeen times in 1 Kings 14:19—2 Kings 15:31. It includes information that may have come from official records written by the court recorder (see 1 Kings 4:3). The original readers of 1–2 Kings knew this book, but it is now lost.

• Instead of any city in the northern kingdom the Lord chose Jerusalem.

• Naamah was the queen mother. She was highly respected in Judah. This role became an official position (1 Kings 15:13). Judah’s queen mothers are often mentioned with the reigning king (see, for example, Jeremiah 22:26).

Between the start and end details of Rehoboam’s rule (1 Kings 14:21, 29–31), the account highlights the declining spiritual state of God’s people in Judah (1 Kings 14:22–24) and an invasion by Egypt (1 Kings 14:25–28).

Judah did evil: Although Rehoboam started his reign with good spiritual intentions (2 Chronicles 11:5–17, 23), he abandoned God's principles (2 Chronicles 12:1).

• Solomon married foreign wives, which led his family into idol worship. Under Rehoboam's leadership, Judah continued the offensive practices of the pagan nations that lived in the land before the Israelites. When leaders are corrupt, a nation's spiritual decline often follows, leading to shame and ruin (Proverbs 14:34).

• Shrine prostitutes were common in Canaan but were forbidden for Israel (see study notes on Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 23:17–18). They became part of Israelite society as the people adopted Canaanite culture.

Shishak (also called Shoshenq I) ruled Egypt from 945–924 BC. He was the first king of Egypt’s 22nd dynasty (family line of rulers). He reunited Egypt after it had been divided during the 21st dynasty. Under his rule, Egypt became stable again and grew in wealth and military strength. His attack on Judah is noted by the writer of Chronicles (2 Chronicles 12:2–4) and is written on the Amon Temple in Thebes.

When Rehoboam replaced Solomon's gold shields with bronze ones, it showed the kingdom's declining spiritual state. Judah and Jerusalem avoided complete destruction only after Rehoboam repented in response to the Lord's message through the prophet Shemaiah (2 Chronicles 12:5–6, 12).

The final report about Rehoboam's rule mentions his ongoing conflict with Jeroboam.