The Way
The Queen in Disguise
The blind prophet already knew
Story
Jeroboam's son Abijah fell sick. Jeroboam said to his wife, “Disguise yourself so no one will know you are the queen, and go to Shiloh. The prophet Ahijah is there, the one who told me I would be king. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.” The queen took ten loaves, some cakes and a jar of honey, and set out. By then Ahijah was old, and his eyes had grown so dim that he could not see.
The Lord had told Ahijah beforehand, “Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son, and she will pretend to be another woman.” When Ahijah heard her footsteps at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be someone else? I have been sent to you with heavy news.” The queen in disguise stood frozen where she was.
Ahijah gave her the Lord's message for Jeroboam: “I raised you up from among the people and made you leader over Israel, but you made other gods and idols and threw me behind your back.” Then Ahijah said to the queen, “When your feet enter the city, the boy will die. Of Jeroboam's house, only this boy will be laid in a grave. For in him there is something good toward the Lord.” The queen went back to Tirzah, where the palace was, and as she crossed the threshold the boy died.
Walk this scene on the map →Words of God and the Prophets
Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be someone else? I have been sent to you with heavy news.
I raised you up from among the people and made you leader over Israel, but you made other gods and idols and threw me behind your back.
Of Jeroboam's house, only this boy will be laid in a grave. For in him there is something good toward the Lord.
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: 1 Kgs 14:1–18
Background
Tirzah was a beautiful town northeast of Shechem, and it was the capital of northern Israel from Jeroboam's time until Omri built Samaria. From Shiloh to Tirzah was probably a little over a day's walk.
Pause and Reflect
Rather than hiding my wrongs, do I admit them before God?