Ahijah
The Prophet from Shiloh
Auch bekannt als: Akija, Ahijah, Achija
The Shiloh prophet Ahijah was a central figure in the dramatic upheaval when the united Israelite kingdom was divided. It was through him that God announced His will to tear ten tribes away from David's house—conveyed through a striking symbolic act where Ahijah tore a new cloak into twelve pieces and gave ten of them to Jeroboam, son of Nebat. This prophetic gesture carried both a promise and an obligation: Jeroboam was offered a lasting dynasty, but only on the condition of obedience to the Lord's commands and covenant. The tragedy in Ahijah's prophetic ministry came to expression when he, now old and blind, was visited by Jeroboam's disguised wife. Her son Abijah lay deathly ill, yet Ahijah, guided by divine revelation, saw through the disguise and proclaimed a devastating judgment against Jeroboam's house. The king's widespread idolatry had rendered the conditional promise void. Ahijah's prophetic work was recorded in a separate writing, "the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite," which is referenced in Chronicles—a testimony to his high standing in Israel's prophetic tradition.
Schlüsselereignisse
The Prophecy to Jeroboam about the Division of the Kingdom
Ahijah met Jeroboam on the road outside Jerusalem and performed a dramatic prophetic sign: he tore his new cloak into twelve pieces and gave ten of them to Jeroboam as a sign that God would give him rule over ten of the tribes of Israel. The biblical text notes that one tribe was to remain under the house of David, for the sake of Jerusalem.
29About that time, when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh met him on the road. Ahijah was wearing a new cloak, and the two of them were alone out in the open country.
וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא וְיָֽרָבְעָ֖ם יָצָ֣א מִירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וַיִּמְצָ֣א אֹת֡וֹ אֲחִיָּה֩ הַשִּׁילֹנִ֨י הַנָּבִ֜יא בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וְה֤וּא מִתְכַּסֶּה֙ בְּשַׂלְמָ֣ה חֲדָשָׁ֔ה וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם לְבַדָּ֖ם בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃
30Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces.
וַיִּתְפֹּ֣שׂ אֲחִיָּ֔ה בַּשַּׂלְמָ֥ה הַחֲדָשָׁ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלָ֑יו וַיִּ֨קְרָעֶ֔הָ שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר קְרָעִֽים׃
31Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'See, I am about to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's hand, and I will give you ten tribes.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְיָֽרָבְעָ֔ם קַח־לְךָ֖ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה קְרָעִ֑ים כִּ֣י כֹה֩ אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הִנְנִ֨י קֹרֵ֤עַ אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִיַּ֣ד שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְךָ֔ אֵ֖ת עֲשָׂרָ֥ה הַשְּׁבָטִֽים׃
32But one tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.
וְהַשֵּׁ֥בֶט הָאֶחָ֖ד יִֽהְיֶה־לּ֑וֹ לְמַ֣עַן ׀ עַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֗ד וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֣רְתִּי בָ֔הּ מִכֹּ֖ל שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
33For they have forsaken me and bowed down to Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, to Chemosh the god of Moab, and to Milcom the god of the Ammonites. They have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my eyes and keeping my statutes and my judgments, as David his father did.
יַ֣עַן ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עֲזָב֗וּנִי וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲווּ֮ לְעַשְׁתֹּרֶת֮ אֱלֹהֵ֣י צִֽדֹנִין֒ לִכְמוֹשׁ֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י מוֹאָ֔ב וּלְמִלְכֹּ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֑וֹן וְלֹֽא־הָלְכ֣וּ בִדְרָכַ֗י לַעֲשׂ֨וֹת הַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינַ֛י וְחֻקֹּתַ֥י וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י כְּדָוִ֥ד אָבִֽיו׃
34Yet I will not take the whole kingdom out of Solomon's hand; I will let him rule as prince all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant, whom I chose and who kept my commandments and my statutes.
וְלֹֽא־אֶקַּ֥ח אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּמְלָכָ֖ה מִיָּד֑וֹ כִּ֣י ׀ נָשִׂ֣יא אֲשִׁתֶ֗נּוּ כֹּ֚ל יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֔יו לְמַ֨עַן דָּוִ֤ד עַבְדִּי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֣רְתִּי אֹת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖ר מִצְוֺתַ֥י וְחֻקֹּתָֽי׃
35But I will take the kingship from the hand of his son and give you ten tribes.
וְלָקַחְתִּ֥י הַמְּלוּכָ֖ה מִיַּ֣ד בְּנ֑וֹ וּנְתַתִּ֣יהָ לְּךָ֔ אֵ֖ת עֲשֶׂ֥רֶת הַשְּׁבָטִֽים׃
36To his son I will give one tribe, so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen for myself, to put my name there.
וְלִבְנ֖וֹ אֶתֵּ֣ן שֵֽׁבֶט־אֶחָ֑ד לְמַ֣עַן הֱיֽוֹת־נִ֣יר לְדָֽוִיד־עַ֠בְדִּי כָּֽל־הַיָּמִ֤ים ׀ לְפָנַי֙ בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם הָעִיר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֣רְתִּי לִ֔י לָשׂ֥וּם שְׁמִ֖י שָֽׁם׃
37As for you, I will take you, and you will reign over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel.
וְאֹתְךָ֣ אֶקַּ֔ח וּמָ֣לַכְתָּ֔ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־תְּאַוֶּ֖ה נַפְשֶׁ֑ךָ וְהָיִ֥יתָ מֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
38And if you listen to all I command you, and walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, then I will be with you. I will build you a lasting dynasty, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־תִּשְׁמַע֮ אֶת־כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲצַוַּ[t]ךָ֒ וְהָלַכְתָּ֣ בִדְרָכַ֗י וְעָשִׂ֨יתָ הַיָּשָׁ֤ר בְּעֵינַי֙ לִשְׁמ֤וֹר חֻקּוֹתַי֙ וּמִצְוֺתַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדִּ֑י וְהָיִ֣יתִי עִמָּ֗ךְ וּבָנִ֨יתִי לְךָ֤ בַֽיִת־נֶאֱמָן֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּנִ֣יתִי לְדָוִ֔ד וְנָתַתִּ֥י לְךָ֖ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
39I will humble the descendants of David because of this, but not forever.'"
וַֽאעַנֶּ֛ה אֶת־זֶ֥רַע דָּוִ֖ד לְמַ֣עַן זֹ֑את אַ֖ךְ לֹ֥א כָל־הַיָּמִֽים׃ ס
Jeroboam's Wife Visits Ahijah
When Jeroboam's son Abijah fell ill, Jeroboam sent his wife in disguise to the now blind and elderly prophet Ahijah in Shiloh to inquire about the boy's fate. God had already revealed to Ahijah who the visitor was.
1At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam fell ill.
בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא חָלָ֖ה אֲבִיָּ֥ה בֶן־יָרָבְעָֽם׃
2Jeroboam said to his wife, "Get up, disguise yourself so no one will recognize you as Jeroboam's wife, and go to Shiloh. Ahijah the prophet is there—the one who told me I would be king over this people.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יָרָבְעָ֜ם לְאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ ק֤וּמִי נָא֙ וְהִשְׁתַּנִּ֔ית וְלֹ֣א יֵֽדְע֔וּ כִּי־*אתי **אַ֖תְּ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֑ם וְהָלַ֣כְתְּ שִׁלֹ֗ה הִנֵּה־שָׁם֙ אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֔יא הֽוּא־דִבֶּ֥ר עָלַ֛י לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃
3Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy."
וְלָקַ֣חַתְּ בְּ֠יָדֵךְ עֲשָׂרָ֨ה לֶ֧חֶם וְנִקֻּדִ֛ים וּבַקְבֻּ֥ק דְּבַ֖שׁ וּבָ֣את אֵלָ֑יו ה֚וּא יַגִּ֣יד לָ֔ךְ מַה־יִּֽהְיֶ֖ה לַנָּֽעַר׃
4So Jeroboam's wife did as he said. She went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; his eyes had failed because of his age.
וַתַּ֤עַשׂ כֵּן֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתָּ֙קָם֙ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ שִׁלֹ֔ה וַתָּבֹ֖א בֵּ֣ית אֲחִיָּ֑ה וַאֲחִיָּ֙הוּ֙ לֹֽא־יָכֹ֣ל לִרְא֔וֹת כִּ֛י קָ֥מוּ עֵינָ֖יו מִשֵּׂיבֽוֹ׃ ס
5But the LORD had said to Ahijah, "Jeroboam's wife is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill. Say such and such to her. When she arrives, she will be pretending to be someone else."
וַיהוָ֞ה אָמַ֣ר אֶל־אֲחִיָּ֗הוּ הִנֵּ֣ה אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֡ם בָּאָ֣ה לִדְרֹשׁ֩ דָּבָ֨ר מֵעִמְּךָ֤ אֶל־בְּנָהּ֙ כִּֽי־חֹלֶ֣ה ה֔וּא כָּזֹ֥ה וְכָזֶ֖ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֑יהָ וִיהִ֣י כְבֹאָ֔הּ וְהִ֖יא מִתְנַכֵּרָֽה׃
6So when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps at the door, he said, "Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why pretend to be someone else? I have been sent to you with heavy news.
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אֲחִיָּ֜הוּ אֶת־ק֤וֹל רַגְלֶ֙יהָ֙ בָּאָ֣ה בַפֶּ֔תַח וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בֹּ֖אִי אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּ֗ה אַ֚תְּ מִתְנַכֵּרָ֔ה וְאָ֣נֹכִ֔י שָׁל֥וּחַ אֵלַ֖יִךְ קָשָֽׁה׃
Judgment on the House of Jeroboam
Ahijah recognized Jeroboam's wife despite her disguise, having been revealed by God Himself, and proclaimed God's judgment against the house of Jeroboam. The judgment was crushing: all of Jeroboam's family would be wiped out because he had practiced idolatry, made other gods for himself, cast images, and thus led Israel into sin.
7Go, tell Jeroboam: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel.
לְכִ֞י אִמְרִ֣י לְיָרָבְעָ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַ֛עַן אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֲרִימֹתִ֖יךָ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הָעָ֑ם וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֣ נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
8I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.
וָאֶקְרַ֤ע אֶת־הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֔ד וָאֶתְּנֶ֖הָ לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־הָיִ֜יתָ כְּעַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁמַ֨ר מִצְוֺתַ֜י וַאֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֤ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בְּכָל־לְבָב֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת רַ֖ק הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽי׃
9You have done more evil than all who came before you. You went and made yourself other gods and cast images, provoking me to anger, and you have thrust me behind your back.
וַתָּ֣רַע לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וַתֵּ֡לֶךְ וַתַּעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ֩ אֱלֹהִ֨ים אֲחֵרִ֤ים וּמַסֵּכוֹת֙ לְהַכְעִיסֵ֔נִי וְאֹתִ֥י הִשְׁלַ֖כְתָּ אַחֲרֵ֥י גַוֶּֽךָ׃ ס
10Therefore I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every last male in Israel, slave or free. I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as a man burns dung, until it is gone.
לָכֵ֗ן הִנְנִ֨י מֵבִ֤יא רָעָה֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֔ם וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י לְיָֽרָבְעָם֙ מַשְׁתִּ֣ין בְּקִ֔יר עָצ֥וּר וְעָז֖וּב בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבִֽעַרְתִּי֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י בֵית־יָרָבְעָ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יְבַעֵ֥ר הַגָּלָ֖ל עַד־תֻּמּֽוֹ׃
11Those of Jeroboam's house who die in the city the dogs will eat, and those who die in the open country the birds of the sky will eat—for the LORD has spoken.
הַמֵּ֨ת לְיָֽרָבְעָ֤ם בָּעִיר֙ יֹאכְל֣וּ הַכְּלָבִ֔ים וְהַמֵּת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יֹאכְל֖וּ ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃
12Now get up and go home. The moment you set foot in the city, the child will die.
וְאַ֥תְּ ק֖וּמִי לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ בְּבֹאָ֥ה רַגְלַ֛יִךְ הָעִ֖ירָה וּמֵ֥ת הַיָּֽלֶד׃
13All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He alone of Jeroboam's house will be laid in a grave, because in him, of all the house of Jeroboam, something good toward the LORD, the God of Israel, was found.
וְסָֽפְדוּ־ל֤וֹ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְקָבְר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כִּֽי־זֶ֣ה לְבַדּ֔וֹ יָבֹ֥א לְיָרָבְעָ֖ם אֶל־קָ֑בֶר יַ֣עַן נִמְצָא־ב֞וֹ דָּבָ֣ר ט֗וֹב אֶל־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֥ית יָרָבְעָֽם׃
14Moreover, the LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam—this very day, yes, even now.
וְהֵקִים֩ יְהוָ֨ה ל֥וֹ מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר יַכְרִ֛ית אֶת־בֵּ֥ית יָרָבְעָ֖ם זֶ֣ה הַיּ֑וֹם וּמֶ֖ה גַּם־עָֽתָּֽה׃
15And the LORD will strike Israel so that it sways like a reed in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they made their Asherah poles and provoked the LORD to anger.
וְהִכָּ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֣וּד הַקָּנֶה֮ בַּמַּיִם֒ וְנָתַ֣שׁ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֠עַל הָאֲדָמָ֨ה הַטּוֹבָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַן֙ לַאֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְזֵרָ֖ם מֵעֵ֣בֶר לַנָּהָ֑ר יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ אֶת־אֲשֵׁ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם מַכְעִיסִ֖ים אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃
16He will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam committed and made Israel commit."
וְיִתֵּ֖ן אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בִּגְלַ֞ל חַטֹּ֤אות יָֽרָבְעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶחֱטִ֖יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
The Prophecy about Abijah's Death
Ahijah prophesied that Jeroboam's sick son Abijah would die the moment his mother's feet crossed the threshold at home. Abijah was to be the only one in Jeroboam's house to receive a dignified burial, because something good had been found in him toward the Lord.
12Now get up and go home. The moment you set foot in the city, the child will die.
וְאַ֥תְּ ק֖וּמִי לְכִ֣י לְבֵיתֵ֑ךְ בְּבֹאָ֥ה רַגְלַ֛יִךְ הָעִ֖ירָה וּמֵ֥ת הַיָּֽלֶד׃
13All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He alone of Jeroboam's house will be laid in a grave, because in him, of all the house of Jeroboam, something good toward the LORD, the God of Israel, was found.
וְסָֽפְדוּ־ל֤וֹ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְקָבְר֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ כִּֽי־זֶ֣ה לְבַדּ֔וֹ יָבֹ֥א לְיָרָבְעָ֖ם אֶל־קָ֑בֶר יַ֣עַן נִמְצָא־ב֞וֹ דָּבָ֣ר ט֗וֹב אֶל־יְהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּבֵ֥ית יָרָבְעָֽם׃
17Then Jeroboam's wife got up and went away to Tirzah. As she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died.
וַתָּ֙קָם֙ אֵ֣שֶׁת יָרָבְעָ֔ם וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ וַתָּבֹ֣א תִרְצָ֑תָה הִ֛יא בָּאָ֥ה בְסַף־הַבַּ֖יִת וְהַנַּ֥עַר מֵֽת׃
18They buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, just as the LORD had said through his servant Ahijah the prophet.
וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֛וֹ וַיִּסְפְּדוּ־ל֖וֹ כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֔ר בְּיַד־עַבְדּ֖וֹ אֲחִיָּ֥הוּ הַנָּבִֽיא׃
Ahijah's Writings Mentioned in Chronicles
Ahijah's prophecies and deeds were recorded in a writing known as 'the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite,' which is referenced as a historical source in Chronicles.
29As for the rest of the acts of Solomon, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?
וּשְׁאָר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה הָרִאשֹׁנִ֖ים וְהָאֲחֲרוֹנִ֑ים הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֔יא וְעַל־נְבוּאַ֞ת אֲחִיָּ֣ה הַשִּֽׁילוֹנִ֗י וּבַחֲזוֹת֙ *יעדי **יֶעְדּ֣וֹ הַחֹזֶ֔ה עַל־יָרָבְעָ֖ם בֶּן־נְבָֽט׃
In der Bibel erwähnt (22)
1. Samuel 14:31. Samuel 14:181. Könige 4:31. Könige 11:291. Könige 11:301. Könige 12:151. Könige 14:21. Könige 14:41. Könige 14:51. Könige 14:61. Könige 15:271. Könige 15:291. Könige 15:331. Könige 21:222. Könige 9:91. Chronik 2:251. Chronik 8:71. Chronik 11:361. Chronik 26:202. Chronik 9:292. Chronik 10:15Nehemia 10:27