1 Kings 14:15

For the LORD shall smite 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 their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.

For the LORD {H3068} shall smite {H5221} Israel {H3478}, as a reed {H7070} is shaken {H5110} in the water {H4325}, and he shall root up {H5428} Israel {H3478} out of this good {H2896} land {H127}, which he gave {H5414} to their fathers {H1}, and shall scatter {H2219} them beyond {H5676} the river {H5104}, because they have made {H6213} their groves {H842}, provoking the LORD {H3068} to anger {H3707}.

ADONAI will strike Isra'el until it shakes like a reed in the water; he will uproot Isra'el from this good land, which he gave to their ancestors, and scatter them beyond the [Euphrates] River; because they made sacred poles for themselves, thus making ADONAI angry.

For the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that He gave their fathers, and He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking the LORD to anger.

For Jehovah will smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and he will root up Israel out of this good land which he gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking Jehovah to anger.

Commentary

1 Kings 14:15 delivers a severe prophetic judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, spoken by the prophet Ahijah of Shiloh. This word from the Lord comes during the reign of Jeroboam I, the first king of Israel after the kingdom's division. The verse vividly outlines the consequences of Israel's widespread idolatry and their turning away from God.

Context

This prophecy is delivered in a somber setting. Jeroboam's son, Abijah, is gravely ill, and Jeroboam sends his wife in disguise to the prophet Ahijah to inquire about his son's fate. Despite Ahijah's blindness, God reveals Jeroboam's deceit and pronounces a devastating judgment not only on Jeroboam's house but also on the entire Northern Kingdom. The primary reason for this divine wrath is Jeroboam's leading Israel into blatant idolatry, specifically his establishment of golden calves in Dan and Bethel for worship, and the proliferation of pagan "groves" and high places throughout the land. This verse foreshadows the eventual Assyrian exile.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment for Idolatry: The core message is God's fierce displeasure and impending judgment against Israel for abandoning Him and worshipping false gods. The "groves" symbolize the deep-seated pagan practices that provoked the LORD to anger.
  • Instability and Vulnerability: The imagery "as a reed is shaken in the water" powerfully conveys Israel's spiritual instability and their complete vulnerability to God's judgment. Unlike a firmly rooted tree, Israel's faithlessness made them like a flimsy reed, easily swayed and uprooted.
  • Loss of the Promised Land: The threat to "root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers" is a direct consequence of their disobedience. It signifies the forfeiture of the covenant blessings, including their inheritance of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
  • Scattering and Exile: The phrase "shall scatter them beyond the river" specifically prophesies the future exiles, first by the Assyrians and later by the Babylonians, where the people would be dispersed far from their homeland as a result of their sin.

Linguistic Insights

The term "groves" (Hebrew: asherim) does not refer to literal groves of trees but to wooden poles or cultic objects dedicated to Asherah, a Canaanite fertility goddess. These were central to the pagan worship practices that Israel adopted, directly challenging their covenant with Yahweh. The metaphor of the "reed shaken in the water" (Hebrew: qaneh) emphasizes extreme instability and a lack of firm foundation, reflecting Israel's spiritual wavering and unfaithfulness.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a timeless warning about the severe consequences of spiritual compromise and idolatry. For believers today, it underscores the critical importance of maintaining singular devotion to God and avoiding anything that might displace Him as the supreme object of our worship and affection. The instability of the "shaken reed" provides a stark contrast to the stability and security found in building one's life on God's unchanging truth, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27. It reminds us that blessings are often conditional on obedience and faithfulness, and that God's holiness demands a response of sincere worship, not syncretism or rebellion.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Joshua 23:15

    Therefore it shall come to pass, [that] as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

  • Joshua 23:16

    When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.

  • Psalms 52:5

    God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of [thy] dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah.

  • 2 Kings 15:29

    In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

  • Exodus 34:13

    But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

  • Exodus 34:14

    For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name [is] Jealous, [is] a jealous God:

  • Proverbs 2:22

    But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
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