8
I tore the kingdom away from David's family, and I gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who always obeyed my commands and followed me with all his heart. He did only what I said was right.
9
But you have done more evil than anyone who ruled before you. You have quit following me and have made other gods and idols of metal. This has made me very angry,
10
so I will soon bring disaster to your family. I will kill all the men in your family, both slaves and free men. I will destroy your family as completely as fire burns up manure.
11
Anyone from your family who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the fields will be eaten by the birds. The Lord has spoken.'"
12
Then Ahijah said to Jeroboam's wife, "Go home now. As soon as you enter your city, your son will die,
13
and all Israel will be sad for him and bury him. He is the only one of Jeroboam's family who will be buried, because he is the only one in the king's family who pleased the Lord, the God of Israel.
14
"The Lord will put a new king over Israel, who will destroy Jeroboam's family, and this will happen soon.
15
Then the Lord will punish Israel, which will be like grass moving in the water. The Lord will pull up Israel from this good land, the land he gave their ancestors. He will scatter Israel beyond the Euphrates River, because he is angry with the people. They made the Lord angry when they set up idols to worship Asherah.
16
Jeroboam sinned, and then he made the people of Israel sin. So the Lord will let the people of Israel be defeated."
17
Then Jeroboam's wife left and returned to Tirzah. As soon as she entered her home, the boy died.
18
After they buried him, all Israel had a time of sadness for him, just as the Lord had said through his servant, the prophet Ahijah.