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Chapter 14 concludes the reign of Jeroboam. His eldest son, Abi-jah, the heir apparent, becomes ill. Jeroboam sends his wife, disguised as a commoner to inquire of the Prophet Ahi-jah, what would become of the child. God told Ahi-jah of the woman's coming and who she was. In answer to her question, Ahi-jah foretells of the ruin of the house of Jeroboam. He charges Jeroboam with idolatry and apostasy. He foretells of the immediate death of the child. He foretells of the setting up of another family to rule over Israel. He foretells of the judgment upon Israel for her idolatry.
Why did Jeroboam seek out the Prophet Ahi-jah? Well, he had a relationship with this Prophet. It was Ahi-jah that had informed him back in Chapter 11 that he would be come King of Israel. Since then, Ahi-jah had lived obscurely and neglected in Shiloh. He was blind from age but still blessed with visions from God. Jeroboam had not sought his council in any of his evil deeds especially the setting up of the golden calves as altars, but now, with the illnes of his son, he sought his council. Notice what Jeroboam's wife was to ask Ahi-jah, "Will the child recover?" Jeroboam was a fatalist". He believed, "whatever will be, will be." Matthew Henry says this was the belief of Jeroboam's day. "All events are God's, He has ordained the end and the means." Thus it did not occur to Jeroboam to ask for his son's healing.
Well, Jeroboam's wife goes home with a heavy heart. The child died and all Israel mourned the loss of the Prince. Jeroboam died shortly after that and as prophesied, all of his family died within 2 years.
The compiler of First Kings then goes to the History of the Nation of Judah and tells about Rehoboam whose reign paralleled that of Jeroboam. There wasn't anything good said of this king. He was 41 when he became king, his father was Solomon and his mother was Na-am-ah, an Ammonite. He reigned 17 or 18 years in Jerusalem. It was a sad commentary about the people of Judah during his reign, "At this time, they were the only people God had in the world, but the evil that they did was greater than all that their fathers had done." Idolatry and homosexuality was practiced and the morals of the nation were in decay.
As the consequences, the King of Egypt came into Judah almost unopposed and made himself ruler over Jerusalem. He stole the treasurers from the Temple and Rehoboam replaced them with worthless copies.
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