Ahijah the Shilonite (1 Kings 11:29–31; 1 Kings 11:32–39; 1 Kings 12:15; 1 Kings 12:20; 1 Kings 14:2–6; 1 Kings 14:7–16; 1 Kings 14:17–18; 1 Kings 15:29–30; 2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 10:15)

The prophet who rent the garment for Jeroboam

The prophet who met Jeroboam in the field, rent a new garment in twelve pieces and gave him ten, and who, old and unable to see, later told Jeroboam's disguised wife that the LORD would sweep away her husband's house.

Ahijah is first named when “Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field” (1 Kings 11:29). He rent the garment in twelve pieces and said, “Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee” (1 Kings 11:31). The word went on to give the reason, “because that they have forsaken me” (1 Kings 11:33), kept one tribe for David's sake, and set a condition: “if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways … that I will be with thee, and will build thee a sure house” (1 Kings 11:38).

When Rehoboam hearkened not to the people, the text says “it was a thing brought about of Jehovah, that he might establish his word, which Jehovah spake by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat” (1 Kings 12:15). Chronicles records the same thing (2 Chronicles 10:15) and lists among the sources for the acts of Solomon “the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite” (2 Chronicles 9:29). When Jeroboam's son Abijah fell sick, Jeroboam sent his wife in disguise to “Ahijah the prophet” (1 Kings 14:2) at Shiloh (1 Kings 14:2). “Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age” (1 Kings 14:4), but the LORD told him she was coming, and he said, “Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings” (1 Kings 14:6). He told her that the LORD would cut off from Jeroboam every man-child, and that the child would die when her feet entered the city (1 Kings 14:10-12).

The child died as she came to the threshold, and “all Israel buried him, and mourned for him, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the prophet” (1 Kings 14:18). After Jeroboam's reign Baasha “smote all the house of Jeroboam … according unto the saying of Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite” (1 Kings 15:29). Scripture does not record Ahijah's birth, family or death, and the New Testament does not name him.

Strengths

• The LORD's servant

Themes

• The word of the LORD
• A kingdom rent
• The sign of the garment
• Word established
• Judgment on a house

Rends the garment for Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:29–31)

Ahijah meets Jeroboam alone in the field, rends his new garment in twelve pieces, and tells him to take ten for the LORD will give him ten tribes.

Rends the garment for Jeroboam

“The prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field” (1 Kings 11:29).

“And Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces; for thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee” (1 Kings 11:30-31).

The text gives the act and its meaning, and no reason for it beyond the word of the LORD.

The reason and the conditional promise (1 Kings 11:32–39)

Ahijah gives the LORD's reason, that they have forsaken him for other gods, keeps one tribe for David's sake, and sets the condition on which Jeroboam may have a sure house.

The word established at Shechem (1 Kings 12:15; 1 Kings 12:20; 2 Chronicles 10:15)

Rehoboam hearkens not to the people; the text says this was brought about of the LORD to establish the word spoken by Ahijah, and Israel makes Jeroboam king.

Jeroboam's wife comes to Shiloh (1 Kings 14:1–6)

Jeroboam sends his wife in disguise to Ahijah at Shiloh about their sick son; Ahijah cannot see, but the LORD has told him who is coming.

Jeroboam's wife comes to Shiloh

“At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick” (1 Kings 14:1). Jeroboam said to his wife, “disguise thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, who spake concerning me that I should be king over this people” (1 Kings 14:2).

“Now Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age. And Jehovah said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to inquire of thee concerning her son; for he is sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her” (1 Kings 14:4-5).

“And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings” (1 Kings 14:6).

The word against the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:7–16)

Ahijah tells her the LORD's charge against Jeroboam, that the house will be swept away, that the child will die, and that Israel will be rooted up and scattered beyond the River.

The word against the house of Jeroboam

“Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel … but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back” (1 Kings 14:7-9).

“Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every man-child” (1 Kings 14:10). Of the child: “when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him; for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam” (1 Kings 14:12-13).

The word reaches past the house to Israel: “Jehovah will smite 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” (1 Kings 14:15).

The child dies, as the word said (1 Kings 14:17–18)

As Jeroboam's wife comes to the threshold at Tirzah the child dies, and all Israel buries and mourns him according to the word spoken by Ahijah.

The child dies, as the word said

“And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died” (1 Kings 14:17).

“And all Israel buried him, and mourned for him, according to the word of Jehovah, which he spake by his servant Ahijah the prophet” (1 Kings 14:18).

Baasha and the saying of Ahijah (1 Kings 15:27–30)

Baasha, as soon as he is king, smites all the house of Jeroboam, which the text says was according to the saying of the LORD by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite.

The LORD (1 Kings 11:31; 1 Kings 14:5; 1 Kings 14:7)

Spoke by him as the God of Israel, and told him beforehand that Jeroboam's wife was coming.

Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:29–39; 1 Kings 14:7–16)

The man to whom Ahijah gave ten pieces of the garment and the word of the LORD, and against whose house he later spoke.

Jeroboam's wife (1 Kings 14:4–6)

Came to him disguised, and was called by Ahijah the wife of Jeroboam when she came in at the door.

Abijah son of Jeroboam (1 Kings 14:12–13; 1 Kings 14:17–18)

The sick child of whom Ahijah said that in him was found some good thing toward the LORD; he died as his mother came to the threshold of the house.

Solomon (1 Kings 11:31–35; 2 Chronicles 9:29)

The king out of whose hand the LORD said by Ahijah he would rend the kingdom; Chronicles names the prophecy of Ahijah among the writings of the acts of Solomon.

Major sections

• 1 Kings 11:29–39
• 1 Kings 12:15–20
• 1 Kings 14:1–18
• 1 Kings 15:29–30
• 2 Chronicles 9:29
• 2 Chronicles 10:15

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