1 Kings 14:18 kjv
And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet.
1 Kings 14:18 nkjv
And they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet.
1 Kings 14:18 niv
They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, as the LORD had said through his servant the prophet Ahijah.
1 Kings 14:18 esv
And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.
1 Kings 14:18 nlt
And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, as the LORD had promised through the prophet Ahijah.
1 Kings 14 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 14:12-13 | "When your feet enter the city, the child will die... for he alone... toward the LORD..." | Immediate prophecy fulfillment; Abijah's good. |
| Isa 55:11 | "So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty..." | God's word is effective and reliable. |
| Deut 18:21-22 | "How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?... If the word does not come to pass..." | Test of a true prophet through fulfillment. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind." | God's unwavering faithfulness to His word. |
| Ezek 12:28 | "Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer..." | Certainty and swiftness of divine judgment. |
| Jer 28:9 | "The prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass..." | Prophet is confirmed by fulfilled word. |
| 2 Pet 1:21 | "For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God..." | Prophecy originating from God, not man. |
| Matt 24:35 | "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." | The eternal immutability of God's word. |
| John 10:35 | "If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—" | Scripture's ultimate authority and integrity. |
| Gen 50:10 | "They mourned there with a great and very grievous lamentation..." | Example of public mourning for a respected person. |
| 2 Sam 1:11-12 | "Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them... and mourned..." | Public grief and mourning rites. |
| Jer 22:18-19 | "They shall not lament for him, saying, ‘Ah, my brother!’... he shall be buried with the burial of a donkey..." | Contrast of disgraceful vs. proper burial. |
| Jer 9:17-18 | "Consider, and call for the mourning women to come; let them make haste and raise a wailing over us..." | Role of professional mourners in ancient Israel. |
| Acts 8:2 | "Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him." | Mourning for a righteous person in death. |
| 1 Ki 14:7-11 | "Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the LORD... I will utterly sweep away the house of Jeroboam..." | Broader prophecy against Jeroboam's house. |
| Prov 10:7 | "The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot." | Contrast between Abijah and his family's legacy. |
| Isa 57:1-2 | "The righteous man perishes... He enters into peace; they rest in their beds..." | Righteous taken from future evil/distress. |
| 2 Chron 13:13-20 | Details of a later battle between Abijah (Rehoboam's son) and Jeroboam, with Jeroboam's defeat. | Jeroboam's continued defeat related to his disobedience. |
| Prov 11:21 | "Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished..." | Justice will ultimately be served. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | General principle of consequences of sin. |
| Amos 3:7 | "For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets." | God's foreknowledge and revelation through prophets. |
1 Kings 14 verses
1 Kings 14 18 Meaning
This verse states that after the death of Abijah, the son of King Jeroboam, all the people of Israel mourned and buried him. This public act of mourning and burial was a direct fulfillment of the prophecy spoken by God through His servant, Ahijah the prophet, confirming the truthfulness and reliability of God's word. It highlights the unique grace shown to Abijah, the only righteous member of Jeroboam's household, in contrast to the disgrace awaiting the rest of his lineage.
1 Kings 14 18 Context
This verse occurs within a pivotal narrative concerning Jeroboam, the first king of the divided northern kingdom of Israel. After establishing golden calves in Bethel and Dan for worship, turning the people away from true worship in Jerusalem, Jeroboam's young son Abijah fell ill. Jeroboam, despite his rebellion, sought divine revelation, sending his wife in disguise to Ahijah, the same prophet who had initially prophesied Jeroboam's rise to power. However, Ahijah, old and blind, was divinely informed of her identity and delivered a devastating prophecy: Jeroboam's house would be utterly cut off due to his sin, but his son Abijah would be the only one of his lineage to die naturally, receive a proper burial, and be mourned by Israel, because "in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel" (1 Ki 14:13). Verse 18 then narrates the immediate and precise fulfillment of this prophecy, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty and the certainty of His spoken word. Historically, this period marked the beginning of a pattern of sin and judgment that plagued the northern kingdom until its eventual downfall.
1 Kings 14 18 Word analysis
- And all Israel: This phrase refers to the northern kingdom of the ten tribes. The fact that "all Israel" mourned is significant. It implies a widespread and public acknowledgment of Abijah's death, distinguishing him from his father's condemned lineage. It highlights the general sentiment towards a child who had a positive disposition towards the Lord, making his death particularly tragic.
- mourned for him: The Hebrew verb is sāp̄aḏ (ספד), meaning "to lament," "bewail," or "mourn deeply." This signifies the customary and often public rituals of grief observed in ancient Israel. Unlike the disgraceful end prophesied for the rest of Jeroboam's house (who would be eaten by dogs or birds without burial), Abijah received respectful lamentation, affirming his unique standing before God and the people.
- and buried him: This denotes a proper burial according to Israelite custom, which was highly esteemed and vital for honoring the deceased and their family lineage. The lack of burial was considered a profound dishonor and a sign of severe divine judgment. Abijah receiving a burial underscores the mercy extended to him and marks his separation from the future ignominious fate of Jeroboam's other descendants.
- according to the word of the Lord: This phrase, kəḏaḇar YHWH (כדבר יהוה) in Hebrew, is central to the verse. "Word" (dabar) implies more than just speech; it signifies a divine decree, a fixed pronouncement, and the will of God. This emphasizes that Abijah's death, the mourning, and the burial were not accidental occurrences but precise fulfillments of a divinely ordained prophecy. It asserts God's sovereignty over life, death, and human events.
- which he spake: Reaffirms the direct involvement of God in uttering the prophecy. It stresses the active communication of divine will.
- by his servant Ahijah the prophet: Identifies the specific messenger through whom God's word came. "Servant" (‘eḇeḏ) is an honored title for one who faithfully represents and serves God. Ahijah was not speaking his own words but serving as a conduit for the divine message. This attribution solidifies the authenticity and divine origin of the prophecy, providing a verifiable link between the divine decree and its earthly manifestation.
1 Kings 14 18 Bonus section
- Authenticity of Prophecy: The immediate fulfillment of the specific details of Ahijah's prophecy, including the mourning and burial, provided irrefutable proof to Jeroboam's family and "all Israel" that Ahijah was indeed a prophet sent by the Lord, not a deceiver. This stood in sharp contrast to the silent, inactive idols Jeroboam had introduced.
- A Glimmer of Hope in Darkness: Abijah's death, while tragic for his family, can be seen as a merciful act, removing a righteous soul from the impending devastating judgment upon Jeroboam's house and the widespread corruption of Israel.
- Irony: Jeroboam sought a word from the Lord, but when it came, it brought news of sorrow for him and severe judgment for his lineage. This demonstrates that seeking God is meaningful only when coupled with repentance and obedience, not merely for convenience or curiosity.
- Stubbornness in Sin: Despite this clear sign of God's judgment and control, Jeroboam did not repent and turn from his idolatry (1 Ki 14:20), further demonstrating the hardened nature of his heart and his refusal to acknowledge God's ultimate authority.
1 Kings 14 18 Commentary
This verse serves as a potent testimony to the infallible nature of God's prophetic word and His precise fulfillment of both judgment and mercy. The mourning and honorable burial of young Abijah stand in stark contrast to the fate awaiting the rest of Jeroboam's family, who would perish dishonorably, consumed by scavenging animals (1 Ki 14:10-11). This distinction highlights God's discerning justice, recognizing "some good thing" in Abijah even within a profoundly wicked lineage. For ancient Israel, the immediate and public fulfillment of Ahijah's prophecy validated him as a true prophet of the Lord, thereby authenticating the divine judgment pronounced against Jeroboam's idolatrous house. The swiftness and exactness of this event left no room for doubt concerning the authenticity of God's decree, reinforcing the severe consequences of disobedience, while also illustrating God's capacity for individual grace amidst corporate judgment.