Limitless Word
Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed, and came to Tirzah. As she was entering the threshold of the house, the child died.
1 Kings 14:17 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed, and came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.
  • KJV And Jeroboam’s wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died;
  • BSB Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and departed for Tirzah, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died.
  • NKJV Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed, and came to Tirzah. When she came to the threshold of the house, the child died.
  • NLT So Jeroboam’s wife returned to Tirzah, and the child died just as she walked through the door of her home.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jeroboam's wife returns to Tirzah, and the child dies as she crosses the threshold, just as prophesied. God's word is fulfilled exactly and immediately.

Overview

The precise fulfillment confirms Ahijah as a true prophet of Yahweh. The boy's death at the very moment foretold underscores the certainty of God's word against Jeroboam's house. It is a sober reminder that prophetic judgment is not idle threat.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • 1 Kgs 15:33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel in Tirzah for twenty-four years.
  • 1 Kgs 16:15In the twenty-seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah. Now the people were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.
  • 1 Kgs 15:21When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and lived in Tirzah.
  • 1 Kgs 16:23In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in Tirzah.
  • Song 6:4You are beautiful, my love, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome as an army with banners.
  • 1 Kgs 16:6–9Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in Tirzah; and Elah his son reigned in his place.
  • 1 Sam 2:20–34Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, “May Yahweh give you offspring from this woman for the petition which was asked of Yahweh.” Then they went to their own home.
  • 1 Sam 4:18–20When he made mention of God’s ark, Eli fell from off his seat backward by the side of the gate; and his neck broke, and he died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
  • 1 Kgs 14:12–13Arise therefore, and go to your house. When your feet enter into the city, the child will die.
  • Josh 12:24the king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty-one.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Kings videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Kings 14:17YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 KingsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.

How 1 Kings 14:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.