Chapter Seventeen

 1Ki 17:1  And Elijah the Tishbite, of the sojourners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Jehovah the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be no dew nor rain these years, except according to my word. 

1Ki 17:2  And the Word of Jehovah came to him, saying, 

1Ki 17:3  Go away from here; and you shall turn eastward and shall hide by the torrent Cherith, that is before Jordan. 

1Ki 17:4  And it shall be, you shall drink of the torrent; and I shall command the ravens to feed you there. 

1Ki 17:5  And he went and did according to the Word of Jehovah; for he went and lived by the torrent Cherith, that is before Jordan. 

1Ki 17:6  And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the torrent. 

1Ki 17:7  And it happened after a while, that the torrent dried up, because there was no rain in the land. 

1Ki 17:8  And the Word of Jehovah came to him, saying, 

1Ki 17:9  Rise up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon; and you shall live there. Behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain you. 

1Ki 17:10  And he rose up and went to Zarephath, and came in to the entrance of the city; and, behold, a widow woman was gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, Please bring to me a little water in a vessel, and I shall drink. 

1Ki 17:11  And she went to bring it. And he called to her and said, Please bring me a bit of bread in your hand. 

1Ki 17:12  And she said, As Jehovah your God lives, I do not have a cake, only a handful of meal in a pitcher, and a little oil in a jar; and behold, I am gathering two sticks and will go in and prepare for myself and for my son; and we shall eat it, and die. 

1Ki 17:13  And Elijah said to her, Do not fear, go, do according to your word, only first make me a little cake of it, and bring to me and afterward prepare for you and for your son. 

1Ki 17:14  For so says Jehovah the God of Israel, The pitcher of meal shall not be consumed, and the jar of oil shall not fail, until the day that Jehovah sends rain on the land. 

1Ki 17:15  And she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she ate, she and he and her household, many days; 

1Ki 17:16  the pitcher of meal was not consumed, and the jar of oil did not fail, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke by the hand of Elijah. 

1Ki 17:17  And it happened after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house became sick; and his illness was very severe until he had no breath left to him. 

1Ki 17:18  And she said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to cause my iniquity to be remembered, and to cause my son to die? 

1Ki 17:19  And he said to her, Give me your son; and he took him out of her bosom, and caused him to go up into the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 

1Ki 17:20  And he cried to Jehovah and said, Jehovah my God, have You also brought evil on the widow with whom I am staying by slaying her son? 

1Ki 17:21  And he stretched himself on the child three times, and called to Jehovah and said, O Jehovah my God, I pray, let the soul of this boy return to him. 

1Ki 17:22  And Jehovah listened to the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the boy returned to him, and he lived. 

1Ki 17:23  And Elijah took the boy and brought him down from the upper room of the house, and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, See your son lives! 

1Ki 17:24  And the woman said to Elijah, Now I know this, that you are a man of God, and the Word of Jehovah in your mouth is truth. 

Verses 1-7 Summary: (How might the famine have been an attack on Baal worship?)
God speaks to Elijah and sends him to a place to live. The ravens bring him food and he drinks from the brook there. Eventually, the brook dries up from lack of rain. 
Baal was the god of weather. This was a direct assault on the false faith for the idol.

LITV "torrent" - KJ "brook"

kerı̂yth ker-eeth' - From H3772; a cut; Kerith, a brook of Palestine - the root word brings meaning to the situation with Elijah:

kârath, kaw-rath'

A primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication to destroy or consume; specifically to covenant (that is, make an alliance or bargain- 
The context demands a physical interpretation. The brook was likely in a gorge. However, there is another word "nachal    nachlâh    nachălâh" which describes: (5158)  a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a brook runs); 

Verses 8-16 Summary: (What lessons can we learn from this story?)
God sends Elijah to Zerephath. He is to stay with a widow. He sees her and asks her for water and bread. She is very poor. She tells Elijah that she will make bread for herself and her son, they will eat and die (due to starvation is assumed). Elijah sends her to do as he says. He tells here God will not let the meal or oil run out until there is relief from the famine. God's word does not fail. The food does not fail.

Notes: The brook Cherith is east of the Jordan river (where Elijah starts). He has to head north and then west to the coastal region of Zerephath, a trek of 40-60 miles. It's interesting to see Elijah's obedience/faith. There is a famine. God sends him to someone who is already needy and starving.
That's what God does. It begs the "why" and it reveals the power and mystery of Jehovah. 

Verses 17-24 Summary:

The widow's son becomes deathly ill. She blames Elijah's God. Elijah takes the boy to his room and places him on the bed and prays to God, reiterating the widow's accusation. 

*Why? Why is it that even with the miracle before them do they waiver? Why do we do that?

Elijah stretches himself over the boy three times and begs God to save his life. He does. Elijah returns the boy to the woman, "See, your son lives!"
*Her faith is strengthened. *Elijah exercises his faith and it is strengthened.
We know where this is headed. Elijah's faith needs to be rock solid.

 

Chapter Sixteen

 1Ki 16:1  And the Word of Jehovah came to Jehu the son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, 

1Ki 16:2  Since I have raised you up out of the dust, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and caused My people Israel to sin, to provoke Me to anger with their sins; 

1Ki 16:3  behold, I will utterly sweep away Baasha and his house; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 

1Ki 16:4  He who dies of Baasha in the city, the dogs shall eat; and whoever of his dies in the field, the birds of the heavens shall eat. 

1Ki 16:5  And the rest of the acts of Baasha, and that which he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

1Ki 16:6  And Baasha lay with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah. And his son Elah reigned in his place. 

1Ki 16:7  And also by the hand of Jehu the son of Hanani the prophet, the Word of Jehovah came against Baasha, and against his house, and against all the evil that he did in the eyes of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger with the work of his hands, to be like the house of Jeroboam, and because he killed him. 

1Ki 16:8  In the twenty sixth year of Asa the king of Judah, Elah the son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years. 

1Ki 16:9  And his servant Zimri, the captain of half of the chariots, conspired against him. And he was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was over the house of Tirzah. 

1Ki 16:10  And Zimri came in and struck him, and killed him in the twenty seventh year of Asa the king of Judah, and reigned in his place. 

1Ki 16:11  And it happened, when he began to reign, as he sat on his throne, that he struck all the house of Baasha; he did not leave him one who urinated against the wall, nor of his kinsmen, nor of his friends. 

1Ki 16:12  And Zimri destroyed the whole house of Baasha, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke as to Baasha, by the hand of Jehu the prophet; 

1Ki 16:13  concerning all the sins of Baasha and the sins of his son Elah that they sinned, and that they caused Israel to sin, to provoke to anger Jehovah the God of Israel with their vanities. 

1Ki 16:14  And the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

1Ki 16:15  In the twenty seventh year of Asa the king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. And the people were camped against Gibbethon, which was the Philistines'. 

1Ki 16:16  And the people who were encamped heard, saying, Zimri has conspired and has struck the king. And all Israel made Omri the commander of the army to rule over Israel on that day in the camp. 

1Ki 16:17  And Omri went up, and all Israel with him from Gibbethon, and they laid siege to Tirzah. 

1Ki 16:18  And it happened when Zimri saw that the city would be captured he came into a high place of the king and burned the house of the king with fire over him, and died, 

1Ki 16:19  for his sins that he sinned, to do the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, to walk in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he did, to cause Israel to sin. 

1Ki 16:20  And the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

1Ki 16:21  Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath to cause him to reign, and the other half after Omri. 

1Ki 16:22  And the people that followed Omri were stronger than the people who followed Tibni the son of Ginath; and Tibni died, and Omri reigned. 

1Ki 16:23  In the thirty first year of Asa the king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel, twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah; 

1Ki 16:24  then he bought the hill Samaria from Shemer with two talents of silver, and built the hill, and called the name of the city that he built by the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, that is Samaria. 

1Ki 16:25  And Omri did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and did evil above all who were before him, 

1Ki 16:26  and walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin, to provoke to anger Jehovah the God of Israel with their vanities. 

1Ki 16:27  And the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and his might that he attained, are they not written in the of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

1Ki 16:28  And Omri lay down with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria. And his son Ahab reigned in his place. 

1Ki 16:29  And in the thirty eighth year of Asa the king of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. And Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years; 

1Ki 16:30  and Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the eyes of Jehovah above all who were before him. 

1Ki 16:31  And it happened as if it were a light thing, that he walked in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took a wife, Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, the king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and bowed himself to it. 

1Ki 16:32  And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. 

1Ki 16:33  And Ahab made an Asherah, and Ahab did still more to provoke to anger Jehovah the God of Israel than all the kings of Israel that were before him. 

1Ki 16:34  In his days Hiel the man of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation in his first-born Abiram, and he set up its doors in Segub his youngest, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke by the hand of Joshua the son of Nun. 

Verses 1-7 Summary:
Jehu the prophet delivers a curse from Jehovah against Baasha for continuing to worship idols. The curse is the same as was against Jeroboam. Baasha's family would die in the streets and the fields, and will be food for the animals.

Note Name Meanings:

Jehu: yêhû', yay-hoo' From H3068 and H1931; Jehovah (is) He

Hanani: chănânı̂y, khan-aw-nee', From H2603; gracious; Chanani

Baasha: ba‛shâ', bah-shaw' From an unused root meaning to stink; offensiveness

Elah: 'êlâh, ay-law', The same as H424; Elah, (424) 'êlâh, ay-law' Feminine of H352; an oak or other strong tree:

Verses 8-14 Summary:

Elah and his house are murdered by Zimri as prophesied.

Verses 15-20 Summary:

Israel is in battle with Philistines when they hear Zimri had killed Baasha. Israel makes Omri king and they go looking to go after Zimri. He burns down the kings house while in it and dies. His reign is SEVEN DAYS. Wow.

Note that even though his reign was only seven days, his judgement of sin is the same as Jeroboam.
"to do the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, to walk in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he did, to cause Israel to sin." 

Verses 21-28 Summary:
The northern kingdom of Israel splits in two. Some make Tibni king, some follow Omri. Omri is more powerful. Tibni dies and Omri reigns all if the northern kingdom. Omri is even more worse than his predecessors. This is the point of the decline of Israel. They reject God, are in complete disorder and are descending like a runaway train.

Verses 29-34 Summary:
Omri's son Ahab becomes king over northern Israel. He is more evil that the kings before him and continues in moral decline. He marries a wife whose name call to Baal. Baal worship becomes rampant. Jericho is rebuilt as was prophesied by Joshua.

1. What did Ahab introduce into Israel that had not been there before?

Ahab is building idols and places for idol worship, but this is not new in Israel. Nor was it new in Judah. We see issues with Baal back in Judges 2.  Gideon destroys an Israelite Baal idol in Judges 6. He certainly proliferated the rejection of Jehovah and added fuel to an already quick descent into the pagan worship world.
It is possible that Ahab introduced Asherah to Israel. We also saw Solomon boosting Ashteroth worship. Many of these gods were similar and/or had similar origins with nuanced changes based on regions and the flight of fancies of those making up these religions.

2. What prophecy of Joshua was fulfilled in the rebuilding of Jericho?
Jos 6:26  And at that time Joshua adjured, saying, Cursed be the man who rises up before the face of Jehovah and builds this city of Jericho. He shall lay its foundation in his first-born, and he shall set up its doors in his youngest son. 
The prophecy is that the builder's sons will die during the construction of Jericho. I'm not sure it is a curse, or if it is just a mention to manifest God's omnipotence. It seems likely the latter since Jericho was an enemy of Jehovah. 

3. Look up Baal in a Bible dictionary and explain about this god. 

Weather god, represented by thunder. "Mighty" "Lord of earth"
Son of Dagan, or El. Defeated the sea god Yamm, thus god of gods. There are many myths surrounding the story of this god. He was the god of gods to many in the region. Having a rain god on your side in this arid region was fervently sought after. The worship of this god include sexual deviancy. Typical. 

Chapter Fifteen

 1Ki 15:1  And in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat, Abijam reigned over Judah. 

1Ki 15:2  He reigned three years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom. 

1Ki 15:3  And he walked in all the sins of his father, those that he did before him, and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as was the heart of his father David. 

1Ki 15:4  But for David's sake Jehovah his God gave to him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem. 

1Ki 15:5  For David did that which is right in the eyes of Jehovah, and did not turn aside from all that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. 

1Ki 15:6  And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. 

1Ki 15:7  And the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. 

1Ki 15:8  And Abijam lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And his son Asa reigned in his place. 

1Ki 15:9  And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel Asa reigned over Judah. 

1Ki 15:10  And he reigned forty one years in Jerusalem, and his mother's name was Maachah the daughter of Abishalom. 

1Ki 15:11  And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, like his father David. 

1Ki 15:12  And he removed the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers made. 

1Ki 15:13  And he also removed his mother Maachah from being queen, in that she made a horrid thing for Asherah. And Asa cut down her horrid thing and burned it by the torrent Kidron. 

1Ki 15:14  But they did not remove the high places. Only the heart of Asa was perfect with Jehovah all the days. 

1Ki 15:15  And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated and his holy things, into the house of Jehovah, silver and gold and vessels. 

1Ki 15:16  And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 

1Ki 15:17  And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, to keep anyone from going out and coming in to Asa the king of Judah. 

1Ki 15:18  And Asa took all the silver and gold that remained in the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house, and gave them into his servants' hand; and King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, the king of Syria, who lived at Damascus, saying, 

1Ki 15:19  A treaty between you and me, between my father and your father! Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha the king of Israel, that he go up from me. 

1Ki 15:20  And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and sent his army commanders against the cities of Israel. And he struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. 

1Ki 15:21  And it happened, when Baasha heard, he ceased building Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah. 

1Ki 15:22  And King Asa proclaimed to all Judah (no one was exempt) and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with it Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah. 

1Ki 15:23  And the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? Only, at the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 

1Ki 15:24  And Asa lay with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place. 

1Ki 15:25  And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of Asa the king of Judah. And he reigned over Israel two years. 

1Ki 15:26  And he did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin with which he made Israel to sin. 

1Ki 15:27  And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him And Baasha struck him at Gibbethon which belonged to the Philistines. For Nadab and all Israel had laid siege to Gibbethon. 

1Ki 15:28  And in the third year of Asa the king of Judah, Baasha killed him, and reigned in his place. 

1Ki 15:29  And it happened when he reigned, he struck all the house of Jeroboam; he did not leave Jeroboam any who breathed, until he had destroyed him according to the saying of Jehovah which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the man of Shiloh; 

1Ki 15:30  because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and that he caused Israel to sin by his provocation with which he provoked Jehovah the God of Israel to anger. 

1Ki 15:31  And the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

1Ki 15:32  And there was war between Asa and Baasha the king of Israel all their days. 

1Ki 15:33  In the third year of Asa the king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah reigned over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty four years. 

1Ki 15:34  And he did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin that he caused Israel to sin. 

Verses 1-8 Summary: (Compare with 2 Chronicles 13)

After Rehoboam's death, Abijam becomes king. His reign is limited to three years before he dies. He continues in the sin started by Rehoboam.

(What great victory did God give to Abijam over Jeroboam?) In 2 Chronicles 13 we see Judah go up against Israel 4000 vs. 8000 respectively. Before the battle, Abijam declares that Jehovah is the God of Judah and that Israel has forsaken Jehovah by practicing idolatry instituted by Jeroboam. Jeroboam surrounds Judah (attacking also from the rear flank). Judah's army calls on God, and God gives them the victory. 5000 of Israel's soldiers die. Judah takes some cities at this time. Jeroboam never regains the power he wielded before this. 

Why would Abijam think God would do anything for him is he was a practicing idolator? 
This conundrum addresses the arrogance that all humans can fall into if we are not careful. Abijam KNOWS Jehovah is the true God to gain victory, yet makes compromises to please himself and others to practice an insulting religion against Jehovah. He should have known better. He has God's word to inform him, but he chooses to insult God anyway.

God is not rewarding or penalizing Abijam in this battle. If not for Abijam's declarations it might have ended differently. Jehovah was ok with enforcing the message, and that was the limit of His acceptance of Abijam. 

NOTE: 1Kings names him Abijam: father of (the) sea (that is, seaman)

             2Chro. names him Abijah: father (that is worshipper) of Jah

Abijam had learned to compartmentalize God within his life (as opposed to loving with ALL his heart).

Does that happen today?

Verses 9-24 Summary: (Compare with 2Chron. 14-16)
Asa becomes king in Judah. He is a good king, removing the idols from the land. He left the high places intact, yet walked "perfect" before Jehovah. Israel's king Baasha wars with Asa.Baasha begins to build a fortified city to block alliances with Asa. Asa makes an alliance with northern Syrian king Ben-hadad (pays him). Ben-hadad defeats Baasha and the fortified city is stopped. Asa takes the resources and builds his own cities.

Note the determination it took for Asa to go against all the compromises before him, including his own mother! Verse thirteen says Maacah was "queen." I assume she is the same mother of Abijam. Does that mean that she was queen even then? What kind of power/influence did she have over the nation?
How could Asa 

*2Chronicles 14-16
14: Asa has ten years of peace. He removes all idols, even the high places. 
15: In Asa's 15th year, Judah needs to return to relying on Jehovah. (suggests a falling away)

      This chapter includes a second cleansing of idols. In this instance, the high places are not removed.

      This chapter also includes the removal of Maacah as "queen" because of her idolatry.

16: This chapter tells the story of Asa's decision to make the alliance with Ben-hadad. God passes judgment over Asa for his lack of faith. Asa becomes bitter/diseased, and his last five years include no peace.

10. IKings tells us that Asa did not remove the high places while 2Chronicles 14:3 tells us he did. Why are there different narratives?  See *above. There are two instances of idol removal. What do we learn from this? Humans are weak and forgetful. The Christian paradigm addresses this issue.

11. What was Asa's sins? How did he die?
Asa did not remove the high places, but I'm not sure this was held against him as part of the judgement. When we read that he did not remove the high places, the writer adds "nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days." This was an issue for God to handle. It seems he made the compromise, but was not an idolator himself.  It was most certainly the alliance with ben-hadad that pushed God over the edge. The name Ben-hadad invokes the name of a false God. The alliance showed a moral misstep on Asa's behalf. He lacked the faith in that moment to do the right thing. He frittered away treasure secured by God to a false god. Even worse, the action was against fellow Israelites. Yes, they were enemies, but they were supposed to be united and the action could never accomplish that.

Asa was diseased in his feet for about two years when he died. Even in this state, he did not seek God's help.

Verses 25-34 Summary:

Nadab, son of Jeroboam becomes king over Israel. He reigns two years. While he is attacking Philistines, Baasha of Issachar attacks Nadab, kills him and moves on to kill ALL the house of Jeroboam as prophesied. Baasha reigns twenty-four years, constantly wars with Asa and is an evil king, basically performing the same fake religion and idolatry from those before him.

Chapter Fourteen

 1Ki 14:1  At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam was sick. 

1Ki 14:2  And Jeroboam said to his wife, Please rise up and disguise yourself, that you may not be known to be the wife of Jeroboam. And you shall go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there. He spoke to me of being king over this people. 

1Ki 14:3  And you shall take ten loaves in your hand, and biscuits, and a flask of honey, and come to him. He will tell you what shall become of the boy. 

1Ki 14:4  And Jeroboam's wife did so, and rose up and went to Shiloh and entered the house of Ahijah. And Ahijah was not able to see, for his eyes were set because of his age. 

1Ki 14:5  And Jehovah said to Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask a thing of you for her son, for he is sick. You shall say this and this to her, and it shall be when she comes in, she will act as a foreigner. 

1Ki 14:6  And it happened when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in the door, he said, Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why are you acting as a foreigner? And I am sent to you with a hard thing. 

1Ki 14:7  Go, say to Jeroboam, So says Jehovah, God of Israel, Because I have exalted you from among the people, and have appointed you leader over My people Israel; 

1Ki 14:8  and have torn the kingdom from the house of David, and have given it to you, and you have not been as My servant David who kept My commandments, and who walked after Me with all his heart, to do only that which is right in My eyes; 

1Ki 14:9  and you did evil above all who have been before you, and went and made for yourself other gods and casted images to provoke Me to anger; and you have cast Me behind your back 

1Ki 14:10  therefore, behold, I am bringing evil to the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him who urinates against the wall, bound and free in Israel; and will sweep away the rest of the house of Jeroboam as a man sweeps away the dung, until it is all gone. 

1Ki 14:11 The dogs shall eat those of Jeroboam who die in the city. And the birds of the heavens shall eat those who die in a field; for Jehovah has spoken. 

1Ki 14:12  And you, rise up, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the boy shall die. 

1Ki 14:13  And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him, for only this one of Jeroboam shall come to the grave because there has been found in him a good thing toward Jehovah, God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 

1Ki 14:14  And Jehovah shall raise up a king over Israel for Himself, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam this day. And what? Even now! 

1Ki 14:15  And Jehovah shall strike Israel as the reed waves in the water, and shall pluck up Israel from off this good land that He gave to their fathers. And He shall scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherahs, provoking Jehovah to anger. 

1Ki 14:16  And He shall give up Israel because of the sins of Jeroboam that he sinned, and that he caused Israel to sin. 

1Ki 14:17  And Jeroboam's wife rose up and left, and came to Tirzah. She came in to the threshold of the house, and the boy died. 

1Ki 14:18  And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke by the hand of his servant Ahijah the prophet. 

1Ki 14:19  And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel. 

1Ki 14:20  And the days that Jeroboam reigned were twenty two years. And he lay with his fathers, and his son Nadab reigned in his place. 

1Ki 14:21  And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty one years old when he began to reign. And he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Jehovah chose out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 

1Ki 14:22  And Judah did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and they provoked Him to jealousy above all their fathers did by their sins that they had sinned. 

1Ki 14:23  And they built, they also, high places for themselves, and standing pillars, and Asherahs on every high hill, and under every green tree. 

1Ki 14:24  And also the sodomite was in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 

1Ki 14:25  And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak the king of Egypt went up against Jerusalem. 

1Ki 14:26  And he took the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king's house; yea, he took all. And he took all the golden shields that Solomon had made. 

1Ki 14:27  And King Rehoboam made in their place bronze shields. And he gave them into the hand of the commander of the runners, who kept the door of the king's house. 

1Ki 14:28  And it happened, when the king went to the house of Jehovah, the runners bore them, and brought them back to the room of the runners. 

1Ki 14:29  And the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? 

1Ki 14:30  And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 

1Ki 14:31  And Rehoboam lay with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And his son Abijam reigned in his place. 

Verses 1-20 Summary: Jeroboam's son becomes ill. He sends his wife to inquire of his son (of a man of God). God curses Jeroboam and his family for his/their idolatry and leading the nation away from God. 

9. Even though God did not let the son of Jeroboam survive, notice what he says about him in verse 13. What thoughts do you have about this?

There is much to speculate on this comment. The likely (for me) reason for this statement is: First we must consider the curse on Jeroboam's family "The dogs shall eat those of Jeroboam who die in the city. And the birds of the heavens shall eat those who die in a field; for Jehovah has spoken."
Then, what is the subject of the sentence? -"there has been found in him a good thing toward Jehovah"
and "only this one of Jeroboam shall come to the grave." The thought of dying without a proper burial was an abomination. In the case of Jehovah and the house of Jeroboam, the only good thing was Abijah dying and being buried properly.

It might be that Abijah was faithful to Jehovah, but there is no way to know for certain.

Abijah meaning: father (that is worshipper) of Jah
Nadab meaning: liberal

NOTE: Why did Abijah's mother need to disguise herself?! What does that say about Jeroboam's family? What human characteristics did they employ to live this way?

Verses 21-31 Summary:

Rehoboam/Judah is an idolatrous king/country. Egypt sacks Jerusalem and steals the gold shields built under Solomon's reign.  (See 2 Chronicles 12 for an in depth review of the war with Shishak)

Note: It is always interesting to notice who the king's mothe4r was. At times this gives us a clue as to the reasons for his goodness or wickedness. Compare 2 Chronicles 12:14 for the reason Rehoboam did evil.

Naamah: pleasantness (root means pleasure) -

Gods of Ammon included Molech

God denies Ammonites from the "assembly" in Deut 23.

Note: Shishak was named for harboring Jeroboam after he fled Solomon. It only took five years for the alliance to crumble. Likely, Shishak just saw his chance since Israel was divided.

Chapter Thirteen

 1Ki 13:1  And, behold, a man of God had come from Judah to Bethel, by the Word of Jehovah, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. 

1Ki 13:2  And he cried against the altar, by the Word of Jehovah, and said, Altar! Altar! So says Jehovah, Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, his name Josiah, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you, and they shall burn the bones of man on you. 

1Ki 13:3  And on that day he gave a sign, saying, This is the sign that Jehovah has spoken, Behold, the altar is torn, and the ashes that are on it poured out. 

1Ki 13:4  And it happened when the king heard the saying of the man of God which he had cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, Seize him. And his hand which he put out against him withered, and he was not able to bring it back to him. 

1Ki 13:5  And the altar was torn, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the Word of Jehovah. 

1Ki 13:6  And the king answered and said to the man of God, Please entreat the face of Jehovah your God, and pray for me, and my hand shall come back to me. And the man of God entreated the face of Jehovah, and the hand of the king came back to him, and it was as at the beginning. 

1Ki 13:7  And the king spoke to the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a gift. 

1Ki 13:8  And the man of God said to the king, If you would give me the half of your house, I would not go in with you, nor will I eat bread, nor will I drink water in this place. 

1Ki 13:9  For so He commanded me by the Word of Jehovah, saying, You shall not eat bread nor drink water, nor turn back in the way that you have come. 

1Ki 13:10  And he went on another way, and did not turn back in the way in which he came into Bethel. 

1Ki 13:11  And a certain aged prophet was living in Bethel, and his son came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel, the words that he had spoken to the king; yea, they told them to their father. 

1Ki 13:12  And their father said to them, Where is this man, what way did he go? And his sons saw the way that the man of God from Judah had gone. 

1Ki 13:13  And he said to his sons, Saddle the ass for me. And they saddled the ass for him, and he rode on it, 

1Ki 13:14  and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak tree. And he said to him, are you the man of God who has come from Judah? And he said, I am. 

1Ki 13:15  Then he said to him, Come home with me and eat bread. 

1Ki 13:16  And he said, I am not able to go back with you, and to go in with you, nor may I eat bread or drink water with you in this place; 

1Ki 13:17  for a word came to me by the Word of Jehovah, You shall not eat bread nor drink water there; you shall not turn back to go in the way in which you came. 

1Ki 13:18  And he said to him, I also am a prophet like yourself, and an angel spoke to me by the Word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, and he shall eat bread and water (he lied to him). 

1Ki 13:19  And he turned back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water. 

1Ki 13:20  And it happened as they were sitting at the table, and a Word of Jehovah came to the prophet who brought him back; 

1Ki 13:21  and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, So says Jehovah, Because you have resisted the mouth of Jehovah, and have not kept the command that Jehovah your God charged you, 

1Ki 13:22  and turned back and ate bread and drank water in the place of which He said to you, You shall not eat bread nor drink water; your carcass shall not come to the burying place of your fathers. 

1Ki 13:23  And after he ate bread and after he drank, it happened that he saddled the ass for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 

1Ki 13:24  And he left, and a lion found him in the way and killed him; and his carcass was thrown down in the way, and the ass was standing near it, and the lion was standing near the carcass. 

1Ki 13:25  And behold, men were passing by and saw the carcass thrown in the way, and the lion standing near the carcass; and they came and spoke of it in the city in which the old prophet lived. 

1Ki 13:26  And the prophet who brought him back out of the way heard and said, It is the man of God who provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and Jehovah gave him to the lion, and it tore him apart and killed him, according to the Word of Jehovah that He spoke to him. 

1Ki 13:27  And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle the ass for me. And they saddled. 

1Ki 13:28  And he went and found the carcass thrown down in the way, and the ass and the lion were standing near the carcass; the lion had not eaten the carcass nor had he torn apart the ass. 

1Ki 13:29  And the prophet took up the carcass of the man of God and placed it on the ass, and brought it back; and the old prophet came into the city to mourn and to bury him. 

1Ki 13:30  And he placed his carcass in his own grave, and they mourned for him, O my brother! 

1Ki 13:31  And it happened, after he buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, At my death, you shall bury me in the burying place in which the man of God is buried; place my bones beside his bones; 

1Ki 13:32  for the word that he cried by the Word of Jehovah concerning the altar in Bethel, and concerning all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely occur. 

1Ki 13:33  After this thing Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but turned again and made from the lowest of the people priests of high places; he who desired, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. 

1Ki 13:34  And in this thing is the sin of the house of Jeroboam, even to blot it from off the face of the earth. 

Verses 1-9 Summary: God passes judgement on Jeroboam's false religion. Jerobaom orders "seize him" and his hand "withers". He asks the prophet to entreat God to restore his hand. The prophet does and God does restore the hand. Jeroboam invites the prophet to stay but he refuses since God ordered him not to do that.

6. How many years would it be before the prophecy of the man of God would be fulfilled?
Jeroboams starts reign 1314, Josiah starts reign 1637 (see Scott Nichol's timeline). 
Approximately 320 years.

Verses 10-34 Summary: An old prophet hears of the prophet who cursed Jeroboam and his false religion. He summons the man but he refuses since God told him not to do those things (eat, drink, go back). The old prophet LIES to him and says an angel told HIM to tell the man that it was ok to do these things. So he does. During the meal, the old prophet prophesies against the man (curses him) for disobeying God. He basically says "you're gonna die." So they finish the meal and the young prophet leaves. He is killed by a lion on the way. The old prophet hears of it, retrieves the body and buries it in HIS tomb. He then tells his sons to bury him next to the young prophet when he dies, because, what the young prophet prophesied WILL come to pass.

Wow.

7. Do you notice anything peculiar about the young prophet's actions following the prophecy given him while he was eating?  Yup. No visceral crying out or anger for being lied to. No revenge or killing. He just finishes his meal.

8. What lessons should we learn from this story? Personally, I find this story frustrating! But that is the point. We hate being lied to! Then suffering because we believed a lie! The bigger picture is God will not change His word. If He says do X, then do X. The implications of this extends right into the heart of false teaching and false religion itself. If the scripture says X, it means X. 
Still there is a sense of injustice that the old guy got away with lying (no penalty).