Ahijah's cloak

Ahijah's prophecy to Jeroboam

 -Brian Mendonca

In today's reading the Bible gives us a powerful metaphor of the kingdom of Israel. (1 Kings 11:29-32) Israel is compared to a cloak. This is done by Ahijah who is wearing the cloak.

Ahijah was a prophet from Shiloh, the place where the ark of the covenant was housed.

For greater effect he tears off the cloak and makes twelve pieces of them.  Of these ten are the ten tribes into which Israel will be divided. Only two will remain under Solomon's son Rehoboam.

He prophesies about this to Jeroboam. Jeroboam was an official trusted by King Solomon because of his achievements in building the city of Jerusalem. Ahijah tells Jeroboam that he will be king. Ahijah meets Jeroboam 'in open country' in a safe place to plot the seeds of the overthrow of Solomon's reign. In today's language it would be called treason.  

Israel is divided because they did not follow the Lord's ways. Under Solomon, son of David, they worshipped false gods. Solomon's penchant for taking many wives and concubines, included many from outside Israel. He built temples to their gods. Soon a large part of Israel was turning away from God.

God is always watching to see our conduct. When we forget him, he intervenes as he did several times in the Old Testament. He does not hesitate to take away his gifts if we are not worthy like Solomon.

Unfortunately, Jeroboam was no better than Solomon. Ahijah parted ways with him. Often in life we are pained because the person on whom we pin our trust betrays us. 

Not much is known about Ahijah. Though he played a significant part in shaping the destiny of God's people, information on him in the scripture is scanty. Isaiah (b. 756 BCE), for example, has an entire book in the Bible devoted to him.  

Ahijah lived in the latter part of the reign of  King Solomon (1010 BCE - 931 BCE) He comes at a key moment in Biblical history where the united kingdom of Israel splits into Israel and Judah. It was King David (Solomon's father by Bathsheba) who ruled over united Israel.

Ahijah is said to have been put to death by Abijah, son of Rehoboam and King of Judah. Other texts suggest he died of plague after Jeroboam turned against him and his values. Ahijah is supposed to have mentored the prophet Elijah (c. 900 BCE - c. 801 BCE) before he passed on.
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Pic of painting by Gerard Hoet (1728) from Wikipedia