MPV Commentary

At that time, Jeroboam was facing a domestic crisis in his family. His son Abijah had come of age and was considered by the people to be the heir to the throne.

Jeroboam's anxiety as a parent was evident, but it was also mixed with a deep-seated policy of deception. He instructed his wife to disguise herself as a peasant woman and visit the prophet Ahijah under the guise of seeking information about their future. Jeroboam was unwilling to acknowledge that he sought guidance from God, fearing that this would undermine his entire system of idolatrous worship. He also suspected that Ahijah, who had been offended by him, might insult or refuse to receive her if she came openly as the queen.

For these reasons, Jeroboam chose his wife for the secret mission and instructed her to assume a peasant's garb and manner. This was an extraordinary infatuation, given that God could reveal futurity without being deceived by a flimsy disguise.

The prophet Ahijah was blind but had received divine premonition of the queen's visit. When she arrived, he addressed her as the queen and informed her of the calamities that would befall their house and the nation due to Jeroboam's ingratitude, apostasy, and misgovernment.

You have not been like my servant David, who repented of his sins and maintained the pure worship of God as commanded by the law. Ahijah declared that he would bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, a destruction so complete that none would be left, not even a dog belonging to it.

The child shall die, and the country will mourn for him. He was the only one in Jeroboam's family who would receive proper burial rites. The reason for this deep regret was that he had opposed the idolatrous worship of the golden calves and had used his influence with his father to allow people to worship freely in Jerusalem.

The Lord will raise up a king from Jeroboam's descendants, but it is already happening – Baasha has been raised up (1Ki 15:27). Tirzah was a place of great beauty, chosen by the first monarch as a royal residence. The queen received news that her son was dying, just as Ahijah had predicted.

The rest of Jeroboam's actions are not recorded in detail, but none of the threats against his family led to any change in his policy or government.