1 Kings 14 31

1 Kings 14:31 kjv

And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

1 Kings 14:31 nkjv

So Rehoboam rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. His mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. Then Abijam his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 14:31 niv

And Rehoboam rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. His mother's name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite. And Abijah his son succeeded him as king.

1 Kings 14:31 esv

And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother's name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.

1 Kings 14:31 nlt

When Rehoboam died, he was buried among his ancestors in the City of David. His mother was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. Then his son Abijam became the next king.

1 Kings 14 verses

1 Kings 14 31 Meaning

This verse succinctly concludes the account of King Rehoboam's reign by reporting his death and burial. It states that he "slept with his fathers," a biblical idiom for dying, and was interred in the City of David (Jerusalem). The verse also identifies his mother, Naamah, an Ammonitess, a detail with significant theological implications, and marks the beginning of his son Abijam's rule as the next king of Judah.

1 Kings 14 31 Context

This verse concludes the narrative about King Rehoboam, Solomon's son, in the book of 1 Kings. The preceding chapters detail Rehoboam's foolish decision that led to the division of the united monarchy into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (1 Ki 12). Chapter 14 specifically focuses on Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, through the prophecy of Ahijah, then shifts to briefly summarize Rehoboam's twenty-two-year reign over Judah. It notes Judah's spiritual decline under his rule, characterized by idolatry mirroring the practices of the nations around them, including the building of high places and male cult prostitutes (1 Ki 14:22-24). The verse immediately prior to 14:31 describes the constant warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Therefore, 1 Kings 14:31 serves as a final obituary for Rehoboam and establishes the transition of power to his son, setting the stage for the next king's history in Chapter 15. It also subtly reinforces the continued, albeit strained, lineage of the Davidic dynasty in Jerusalem.

1 Kings 14 31 Word analysis

• And Rehoboam (וַיִּשְׁכַּב רְחַבְעָם, Vayyishkav Reḥavʻam): Rehoboam means "he who enlarges the people" or "the people have broadened." Irony is notable as his reign instead resulted in the division and reduction of the united kingdom.
• slept with his fathers (עִם־אֲבֹתָיו, ʻim-ʾavōtāv): This is a common and gentle biblical idiom for death, implying a peaceful demise. It highlights continuity in lineage and an ancestral burial, connecting Rehoboam to the Davidic kings before him, particularly David and Solomon, who were also said to have "slept with their fathers." This phrase signals that his death was not violent or punitive in terms of his lineage being cut off.
• and was buried (וַיִּקָּבֵר, vayyikavēr): Simple Hebrew verbal form indicating the physical act of burial. It signifies the formal conclusion of life and placement into ancestral ground.
• with his fathers: Reiteration emphasizing his burial within the dynastic tomb.
• in the city of David (בְּעִיר דָּוִד, beʻir David): This refers to Jerusalem, specifically the oldest part of the city, south of the Temple Mount. It was the designated burial place for the kings of Judah from David onwards, solidifying Rehoboam's connection to the Davidic covenant and the legitimate lineage in the Southern Kingdom. This tradition was central to their identity and legitimacy.
• and his mother's name was Naamah (וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ נַעֲמָה, vĕshēm ʾimō Naʿamāh): The consistent recording of the mother's name for Judahite kings (but not typically for Northern Kingdom kings) is a distinctive feature in the books of Kings and Chronicles. This might indicate her legal or social standing, or serve as an ethnographic note. Naamah means "pleasant" or "lovely."
• an Ammonitess (הָעַמֹּנִית, haʿAmmōnit): This specific ethno-national identification is highly significant. The Ammonites were perennial adversaries of Israel and descendants of Lot, traditionally forbidden to enter the assembly of the LORD (Deut 23:3-6). Solomon’s foreign marriages, including taking Ammonite wives, directly violated Yahweh's commands and contributed to the kingdom's spiritual decline and division (1 Ki 11:1-8). The fact that Rehoboam's mother was an Ammonitess subtly reinforces the pervasive foreign, idolatrous influence even at the heart of the Davidic dynasty, setting the stage for continued religious decline despite the presence of the Temple. This points to the systemic challenges within the royal line.
• And Abijam his son reigned in his stead (וַיִּמְלֹךְ אֲבִיָּם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו, vayyimlokh ʾAvīyām bĕnō taḥtāv): This standard succession formula indicates the uninterrupted transfer of power. "Abijam" (also spelled "Abijah" in 2 Chronicles) means "my father is Yam" (a Canaanite sea-god) or "my father is the sea." The Chronicler’s spelling "Abijah" (meaning "my father is Yah[weh]") might be a deliberate theological correction to re-assert YHWH's authority or a natural variation of the name. This marks the transition to the next generation of leadership in Judah's independent history.

1 Kings 14 31 Bonus section

The chronicler's account of Rehoboam's death and Abijam's succession in 2 Chronicles 12:16 is almost identical to this verse (except for the detail of Naamah), reinforcing its canonical truth. However, the Chronicles record often presents the Davidic kings with a more favorable theological perspective where repentance brings immediate blessing, even if temporary. The consistent inclusion of the mother's name for the kings of Judah in 1 Kings is a distinctive stylistic and thematic element. It subtly links the king's character and the nature of his reign to maternal influence, potentially drawing attention to foreign lineage and its implications for fidelity to the covenant. This detail often correlates with a king's spiritual standing: if the mother was from a foreign nation, especially one associated with idolatry (like Ammon), it often portended a reign marred by religious compromise, even if not explicitly stated as such. This contrasts with the account of kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom), where the mother's name is rarely mentioned, perhaps highlighting the instability and lack of legitimate, continuous dynastic succession in the North.

1 Kings 14 31 Commentary

1 Kings 14:31 serves as the final, somber obituary for Rehoboam, whose foolishness began the tragic division of Israel. His burial "with his fathers in the City of David" affirms his legitimate place within the Davidic line, a line God pledged would endure. However, the precise detail of his mother being "Naamah an Ammonitess" subtly yet powerfully underlines the corrupting foreign influence that had penetrated the royal household due to Solomon's many wives. This not only provided the human means for Rehoboam's flawed character but also contributed to the systemic idolatry prevalent in Judah, directly contravening divine commands regarding foreign intermarriage. This single verse highlights the ongoing tension between God's steadfast covenant with David and the repeated unfaithfulness of David's descendants, whose choices, influenced by such foreign connections, continually invited judgment. The verse is thus not merely a factual record of death and succession, but a concise theological commentary on the state of the Judahite monarchy—a dynasty secured by divine promise, yet deeply compromised by human apostasy.