Who was Ahijah in the BIble?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

There are several Ahijahs in the Bible, but two of them are more prominent. In 1 Samuel 14, Ahijah, a priest from the line of Eli, was present with Saul during the battle against the Philistines, and Saul sought his help to inquire of God. However, before Ahijah could give guidance, Saul rushed into battle without waiting for a response. Ahijah the prophet followed and spoke for the Lord. He called Solomon out for his sin and warned him of what would happen as a result of turning his heart from the Lord (1 Kings 11:11). Ahijah the prophet also sought and spoke for the Lord to Jeroboam, who became king after Solomon and took over the northern part after the division of Israel. Jeroboam did evil before the Lord, and Ahijah warned of what would happen as a result. His prophecies came true.

The name Ahijah means "worshiper of Yahweh" or "brethren/companion of God." Both of these Ahijahs lived in Shiloh where God's presence resided inside the tabernacle before Solomon completed the temple. They sought the Lord and followed Him, faithfully proclaiming the truth to wayward kings.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Most of the men named Ahijah are mentioned only in passing like one of David's mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:36), a secretary under King Solomon (1 Kings 4:3), the treasurer in Solomon's temple (1 Chronicles 26:20), a member in the genealogy of the Jerahmeelites (1 Chronicles 2:25), a descendant of Benjamin who was deported to Manahath (1 Chronicles 8:7), the father of King Baasha (1 Kings 15:27; 21:22; 2 Kings 9:9), and a leader of the people under Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:26, CSB).
• Two Ahijahs played a more significant role in Scripture. One Ahijah was a descendant of Eli and served as "the priest of the LORD in Shiloh" (1 Samuel 14:3). When Saul battled the Philistines, he brought the ark of the covenant to the battlefield (1 Samuel 14:18) and sought the Lord for what Saul should do.
• In 1 Samuel 14:18-48, Saul and his army faced the Philistines. Saul asked Ahijah the priest to bring the ark of God for divine guidance but interrupted the process as the battle intensified. Jonathan, Saul's son, led a surprise attack, causing confusion among the Philistines, and Israel won the battle. However, Saul made a rash vow, forbidding his men to eat during the fight, which weakened them. Jonathan unknowingly broke the vow by eating honey, leading to conflict when Saul sought to enforce his oath, but the people intervened to save Jonathan.
• Eventually, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines (1 Samuel 14:46). Ahijah spared Saul a possible military loss by seeking the Lord instead of jumping into battle.
• Ahijah the prophet, during King Solomon's reign, also lived in Shiloh. The Lord was angry with Solomon and promised to tear the kingdom from him and give it to a successor because “his heart had turned away from the LORD” (1 Kings 11:9). Jeroboam was an official in Solomon's court and as he was leaving Jerusalem, Ahijah found him alone on the road. "Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, 'Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, "Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes…But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand and will give it to you, ten tribes.… And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel. And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you" (1 Kings 11:30–31, 35–38). After Solomon died, Ahijah's prophecy came true. The people of the northern ten tribes made Jeroboam their king while Solomon's son, Rehoboam, maintained dominion over only the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin.
• Jeroboam did not stay faithful to God, so Ahijah was given more prophecies. When Jeroboam's son fell ill, he sent his wife, the queen, dressed in disguise to seek counsel from Ahijah in Shiloh (1 Kings 14:2). God revealed to Ahijah, who was blind in his old age, that Jeroboam's wife was on her way and told him what to say. God declared about Jeroboam, "You have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel" (1 Kings 14:9–10). Baasha (whose father coincidentally was also named Ahijah) became king a few years later and killed all the house of Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:29).
• About Jeroboam's ill son, God said the boy would die when the queen's feet entered the city where he was (1 Kings 14:12). As soon as the queen crossed the threshold of the palace in Tirzah, her son died (1 Kings 14:17).
• About the nation of Israel, Ahijah prophesied, "the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates" (1 Kings 14:15). Nearly two centuries later, the Assyrians conquered Israel and scattered the people throughout the empire (2 Kings 17:22–23).
• Everything came to fruition "according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite" (1 Kings 15:29). In this way, Ahijah the prophet was a faithful servant of the LORD whose prophecies proved true.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• There are no Ahijahs in the New Testament.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

God calls us to seek Him, to call on Him, to forsake our wicked ways and thoughts, and to turn to Him (Isaiah 55:6–7). Believers are also called to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Our faithful obedience to proclaim the truth has the potential to turn people from their wickedness and its negative consequences. Ahijah the priest spared Saul from defeat and impetuousness. At the same time, we are called to proclaim the truth regardless of the outcome. Solomon and Jeroboam chose to ignore the truth that Ahijah proclaimed, and they suffered the consequences. We cannot force people to do what is right, but we have a responsibility to point them to it.

As both Ahijahs sought the Lord, He revealed to them the truth, and they were faithful to believe and proclaim it. The more time a person spends in God's presence knowing and worshiping Him as the one true God, the more likely that person will be able to give wise counsel to others and receive words of truth to be shared with those who need to hear them, just like these two Ahijahs in the Bible.

UNDERSTAND

• There are several Ahijahs in the Bible, but two are more prominent.
• Ahijah the priest led King Saul to seek the Lord; Ahijah the prophet warned King Solomon and afterward King Jeroboam of what would happen as a result of their disobedience.
• Both Ahijahs were faithful to seek the Lord and proclaim the truth.

REFLECT

• Why does God call us to proclaim the truth?
• Why are you sometimes hesitant to proclaim the truth?
• People have an option of how to respond to the truth. Our calling is simply to proclaim it– in love.

ENGAGE

• What are some reasons why people are afraid to proclaim the truth?
• God calls us to proclaim truth, but the way we do it reveals and expresses our heart and care for God and for the other person. We proclaim truth to be obedient to God and to care for the person—not to win an argument or be better than others.
• Where is God calling you to bring the truth in love?