1 Kings 14:12 kjv
Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.
1 Kings 14:12 nkjv
Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die.
1 Kings 14:12 niv
"As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die.
1 Kings 14:12 esv
Arise therefore, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die.
1 Kings 14:12 nlt
Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam's wife, "Go on home, and when you enter the city, the child will die.
1 Kings 14 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 14:17 | And Jeroboam’s wife arose… and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold… the child died. | Direct fulfillment of this prophecy. |
| 1 Ki 14:10 | Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off... | Part of the wider judgment on Jeroboam. |
| 1 Ki 13:33-34 | After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way... | Jeroboam's obstinate sin leads to judgment. |
| 1 Ki 12:28-30 | ...Jeroboam made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you... | The root cause of God's severe judgment. |
| 1 Ki 15:29-30 | ...smote all the house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed... according to the saying of the LORD... | Fulfilled prophecy of the complete destruction of Jeroboam's dynasty. |
| Num 26:10 | ...and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up... | God's sudden, precise judgment for rebellion. |
| Deut 32:39 | See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive... | God's absolute sovereignty over life and death. |
| 1 Sam 2:6 | The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. | Reiterates God's control over life and death. |
| Isa 46:10 | Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done... | God's foreknowledge and declaration of future events. |
| Psa 115:3 | But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. | God's omnipotence and sovereign will. |
| Psa 33:11 | The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. | The unchangeable nature of God's word and plan. |
| Prov 11:21 | Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. | The inevitability of judgment for the wicked. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death... | The consequence of sin is death. |
| Heb 4:13 | Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened... | God's complete omniscience, seeing hidden intents and identities. |
| Matt 10:29-30 | Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. | God's meticulous awareness and control over all life and death. |
| 2 Chr 11:14-15 | For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession... Jeroboam ordained him priests for the high places... | Reinforces the nature of Jeroboam's idolatry. |
| Job 12:10 | In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. | God as the sustainer and ender of life. |
| Amos 3:6 | ...shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? | God's ultimate hand in events, even calamities. |
| Jer 1:9-10 | ...Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations... to build, and to plant. | God empowering prophets to declare His precise word. |
| Deut 18:22 | When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not... that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken... | The fulfillment of the prophecy validates the prophet's words. |
1 Kings 14 verses
1 Kings 14 12 Meaning
This verse conveys a definitive and precise prophetic decree from God, delivered through the prophet Ahijah, to Jeroboam's wife. It declares that the moment she sets foot within the city limits of Tirzah, Jeroboam's son, Abijah, will die. This immediate and specific timing serves as an unmistakable sign of God's exact judgment on Jeroboam's house due to his persistent idolatry and leading Israel into sin.
1 Kings 14 12 Context
This verse is part of a severe prophecy delivered by the prophet Ahijah to Jeroboam's disguised wife. Jeroboam, king of Israel, sent his wife to Shiloh to inquire of the prophet Ahijah concerning their sick son, Abijah. Ahijah, though physically blind from old age, was supernaturally given insight by God. God revealed to him Jeroboam's wife's true identity despite her disguise and informed him of the devastating message to deliver. The context prior to this is Jeroboam's grievous sin of establishing golden calf worship at Bethel and Dan, causing Israel to stumble, and turning his back on the covenant God despite God's initial promise to establish his dynasty if he followed Him (1 Ki 11:38). This prophecy, especially this specific verse, announces the immediate and irreversible judgment for Jeroboam's apostasy, directly impacting his household through the death of his son. It signifies God's absolute sovereignty and the certain consequences of disobedience.
1 Kings 14 12 Word Analysis
- Arise therefore (קוּם – qum, get up, arise): This imperative carries a sense of urgency and direct command. "Therefore" links the immediate instruction to the preceding declaration of judgment (1 Ki 14:7-11), signifying that what follows is an direct consequence. It emphasizes the need for immediate departure as the judgment is already set in motion.
- get thee to thine own house (בַּיִת – bayith, house/household): This specifies the destination and implicitly points to the specific domain of Jeroboam's family and the place where the curse will unfold. "House" here implies not just a building but the entire lineage or dynasty of Jeroboam, highlighting that the judgment affects his whole family.
- and when thy feet enter into the city (עִיר – 'iyr, city): This phrase establishes the precise, undeniable timing of the prophecy's fulfillment. The act of "entering" signifies the crossing of a threshold, marking the exact moment. The city, specifically Tirzah (Jeroboam's capital at the time, later mentioned in 1 Ki 14:17), serves as the public backdrop for this divinely ordained event, leaving no room for doubt about the prophecy's accuracy. It shows God's meticulous precision in executing His word.
- the child (יֶלֶד – yeled, child, young one): Refers to Abijah, Jeroboam's son. The use of "child" underscores his youth and relative innocence, making the judgment all the more poignant. His death, while a judgment on his father's sin, also carries a unique grace in that he is taken away from the doomed house (as later stated in 1 Ki 14:13).
- shall die (מוּת – muth, to die, be dead): This declaration signifies an absolute and irreversible event. There is no hope, no recovery, and no deferral of this fate. The immediate death of the child upon the mother's entry confirms the divine origin and certainty of the prophet's words.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Arise therefore, get thee to thine own house": This grouping serves as an urgent and inescapable command for Jeroboam's wife to return. It underscores the prophet's (and God's) determination that the judgment on Jeroboam's lineage should commence without delay. The destination, "thine own house," points directly to the personal and familial consequences of Jeroboam's corporate sin.
- "and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die": This forms the core of the specific, divinely appointed sign. It lays out an incredibly precise, time-sensitive, and publicly verifiable event. The instantaneous cause-and-effect—arrival leading immediately to death—underscores God's omnipotence and His ability to execute His word with exact precision, proving the prophecy to be from Him. It also signifies the inescapable nature of the judgment; it cannot be avoided or delayed once the specific condition is met.
1 Kings 14 12 Bonus section
- The divine knowledge demonstrated by Ahijah (who was blind yet knew Jeroboam's wife's disguised identity) elevates the significance of this prophecy. It affirms that the source of his pronouncement is God Himself, who "sees in secret" (Matt 6:4).
- The precise, immediate nature of the child's death served not only as a fulfillment but as an "omen-sign" to the house of Jeroboam, a palpable demonstration of God's control over life and death and His unwavering commitment to His word, whether in blessing or in judgment.
- The death of the innocent child highlights the far-reaching and devastating consequences of parental and leadership sin, reminding believers of the grave responsibility to walk righteously before God for the sake of their families and those they lead.
1 Kings 14 12 Commentary
1 Kings 14:12 powerfully illustrates the severity of God's judgment and the certainty of His prophetic word. Jeroboam had turned from God, established idolatry, and ignored prophetic warnings, leading not only himself but an entire nation into spiritual decline. In response, God sends a definitive, undeniable sign through Ahijah. The immediate death of Abijah upon his mother's return to the city serves as a public validation of Ahijah's prophecy and a personal, painful blow to Jeroboam. This particular timing ensures there is no doubt that this is God's hand at work, not a mere coincidence. The tragic fate of Abijah, who alone among Jeroboam's house is described as having "some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel" (1 Ki 14:13), underscores that while judgment for the father's sin extends to his house, God's individual mercy can still be present, even in the midst of pronounced doom. This verse serves as a sober reminder that spiritual rebellion, especially from leadership, carries severe consequences that can extend beyond the immediate transgressor, directly impacting family and future.