Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

At that time, Abijah, Jeroboam's son, fell seriously ill.

Jeroboam said to his wife, "Arise, disguise yourself, and take with you ten loaves, cakes, and a cruse of honey, and go to the prophet Ahijah in Shiloh; he will tell you what shall become of your child." Jeroboam's wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh, where she came to Ahijah's house. However, Ahijah could not see her because his eyes were set by reason of his age.

The Lord said to Ahijah, "Behold, Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask something of you on behalf of her sick son; when she comes in, she will pretend to be another woman." When Ahijah heard her approaching, he said, "Come in, Jeroboam's wife. Why disguise yourself? I have been sent to you with grave news."

Go, tell Jeroboam, the Lord God of Israel says: For I exalted you from among the people and made you prince over my people Israel. And I rent the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you; yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly, doing only what was right in my sight.

But you have done evil beyond anyone who came before you, for you made and worshiped other gods, creating idols to provoke me to anger. You rejected me by turning your back on me. I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam; cutting off from him everyone who is left in Israel, just as one would remove dung until it is completely gone.

Him who dies under Jeroboam's rule will be eaten by dogs, and him who dies in the field will be eaten by birds of the air. The Lord has spoken this. Arise, go to your house; when your feet enter into the city, the child shall die.

The Lord will raise up a king over Israel who will cut off Jeroboam's house that day; but what? Even now the Lord will strike Israel, shaking it like a reed in water, and uprooting it from this good land that he gave to their fathers. He will scatter them beyond the river because of their idolatrous shrines that provoke him to anger.

And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and led Israel to sin. Jeroboam's wife arose, departed, and came to Tirzah; when she reached the threshold of the door, the child died.

They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him in accordance with the word of the Lord that he had spoken through his servant Ahijah the prophet. The rest of Jeroboam's actions, including his wars and reign, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Jeroboam reigned for twenty-two years and died. His son Nadab succeeded him. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, reigned in Judah at forty-one years old and ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city chosen by the Lord to place his name there. His mother was Naamah an Ammonitess.

Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to jealousy with their sins, which they committed more severely than their fathers. They also built high places, images, and sacred groves on every hilltop and under every green tree. There were also male cult prostitutes in the land, doing all the detestable things that the nations which the Lord had driven out before the Israelites used to do.

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam's reign, Shishak king of Egypt marched against Jerusalem. He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the king's house, including all the gold shields that Solomon had made. King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and entrusted them to the chief of the guard who guarded the entrance to the king's house.

When the king entered the house of the Lord, the guards carried these shields and brought them back into the guard chamber. The rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

There was ongoing conflict between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their reigns. Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David, where his mother Naamah from Ammon was also laid to rest. His son Abijam succeeded him as king.