1 Kings – Chapter 14

Old Testament31 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 14 of 1 Kings begins: "At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick." The chapter centers on David and Solomon. Across its 31 verses, two threads run through the text: God's kingdom and kingship and family and covenant relationships. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick.

2And Jeroboam said to his wife: Arise, and change thy dress, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Silo, where Ahias, the prophet is, who told me that I should reign over this people.

3Take also with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a pot of honey, and go to him: for he will tell thee what will become of this child.

4Jeroboam's wife did as he told her: and rising up, went to Silo, and came to the house of Ahias; but he could not see, for his eyes were dim by reason of his age.

5And the Lord said to Ahias: Behold the wife of Jeroboam cometh in, to consult thee concerning her son, that is sick: thus and thus shalt thou speak to her. So when she was coming in, and made as if she were another woman,

6Ahias heard the sound of her feet, coming in at the door, and said: Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam: why dost thou feign thyself to be another? But I am sent to thee with heavy tidings.

7Go, and tell Jeroboam: Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: For as much as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel;

8And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to thee, and thou hast not been as my servant, David, who kept my commandments, and followed me with all his heart, doing that which was well pleasing in my sight:

9But hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast made thee strange gods, and molten gods, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:

10Therefore, behold I will bring evils upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up, and the last in Israel: and I will sweep away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as dung is swept away till all be clean.

11Them that shall die of Jeroboam in the city, the dogs shall eat: and them that shall die in the field, the birds of the air shall devour: for the Lord hath spoken it.

12Arise thou, therefore, and go to thy house: and when thy feet shall be entering into the city, the child shall die,

13And all Israel shall mourn for him, and shall bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall be laid in a sepulchre, because in his regard there is found a good word from the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.

14And the Lord hath appointed himself a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam in this day, and in this time:

15And the Lord God shall strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water: and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river: because they have made to themselves groves, to provoke the Lord.

16And the Lord shall give up Israel for the sins of Jeroboam, who hath sinned, and made Israel to sin.

17And the wife of Jeroboam arose, and departed, and came to Thersa: and when she was coming in to the threshold of the house, the child died,

18And they buried him. And all Israel mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of his servant Ahias, the prophet.

19And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he fought, and how he reigned, behold they are written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel.

20And the days that Jeroboam reigned, were two and twenty years: and he slept with his fathers: and Nadab, his son, reigned in his stead.

21And Roboam, the son of Solomon, reigned in Juda: Roboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. And his mother's name was Naama, an Ammonitess.

22And Juda did evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoked him above all that their fathers had done, in their sins which they committed.

23For they also built them altars, and statues, and groves, upon every high hill, and under every green tree:

24There were also the effeminate in the land, and they did according to all the abominations of the people, whom the Lord had destroyed before the face of the children of Israel.

25And in the fifth year of the reign of Roboam, Sesac, king of Egypt, came up against Jerusalem.

26And he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the king's treasures, and carried all off: as also the shields of gold which Solomon had made:

27And Roboam made shields of brass instead of them, and delivered them into the hand of the captains of the shieldbearers, and of them that kept watch before the gate of the king's house.

28And when the king went into the house of the Lord, they whose office it was to go before him, carried them: and afterwards they brought them back to the armoury of the shieldbearers.

29Now the rest of the acts of Roboam, and all that he did, behold they are written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda.

30And there was war between Roboam and Jeroboam always.

31And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with them, in the city of David: and his mother's name was Naama, an Ammonitess: and Abiam, his son, reigned in his stead.

Important Verses in 1 Kings 14

At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick.

1 Kings 14:1

Go, and tell Jeroboam: Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: For as much as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel;

1 Kings 14:7

And all Israel shall mourn for him, and shall bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall be laid in a sepulchre, because in his regard there is found a good word from the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.

1 Kings 14:13

And the Lord shall give up Israel for the sins of Jeroboam, who hath sinned, and made Israel to sin.

1 Kings 14:16

Historical Context

As a Old Testament book, 1 Kings was written with the exiles, shown why the kingdom fell: infidelity to the covenant in view. Chapter 14 of 22 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 31 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. David and Solomon appear at the center of the events recorded here. It opens with the line: "At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick." The chapter ends with: "And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with them, in the city of David: and his mother's name was Naama, an…" Read against its original backdrop, First Kings moves from the glory of Solomon—his wisdom, his Temple—to the tragic division of the kingdom into Israel (north) and Judah (south), and the ministry of the prophet Elijah against the idolatry of Ahab and… The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: Events from about 970 to 850 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC).

Who Wrote It

Unknown; tradition suggests Jeremiah or prophetic circles as compilers

When It Was Written

Events from about 970 to 850 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC)

Catholic Commentary

The prophetic discourse in this chapter speaks to a community facing the consequences of its choices before God. A pivotal line is verse 1: "At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick." The passage repeatedly touches on God's kingdom and kingship.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 113). Here, the Temple prefigures Christ's body and the Church (CIC 756). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize God's kingdom and kingship as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that Wisdom comes from fearing the Lord. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, 1 Kings 14 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Sin has real consequences, but God's judgment always aims at conversion and restoration.

People in This Chapter

David3 mentionsSolomon2 mentions

Reflection for Today

1 Kings Chapter 14, containing 31 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation, offers a distinct passage for prayer and meditation.

The Magisterium teaches that every biblical passage must be read in light of Christ, the center of Scripture (CIC 958). Here the emphasis falls on lectio divina and meditation on God's Word, which shapes how the Church understands Solomon's wisdom and the divided kingdom.

If this passage raises questions, seek the Church's teaching through the Catechism, a faithful priest, or sound Catholic commentaries. Private interpretation must remain in harmony with the Magisterium (CIC 1324).

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 1 Kings Chapter 14 about?

1 Kings 14 contains 31 verses. It opens with "At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick." and closes with "And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with them, in the city of David: and his mother's name was Naama, an…". The book as a whole is historical narrative with prophetic accounts.

What is a key verse in 1 Kings 14?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "At that time Abia, the son of Jeroboam, fell sick." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 1 Kings Chapter 14?

This chapter mentions David, Solomon.

Who wrote 1 Kings and when?

Unknown; tradition suggests Jeremiah or prophetic circles as compilers. Events from about 970 to 850 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile (6th century BC).

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