What is the meaning of 1 Kings 14:25? In the fifth year • The verse roots the event in real time, barely half a decade after Solomon’s death, underscoring Scripture’s historical precision (cf. 1 Kings 11:42–43). • Five years is strikingly quick for judgment to fall; Judah had turned from the LORD almost immediately (1 Kings 14:22, 2 Chron 12:1–2). • God had warned that disobedience would invite foreign oppression (Deuteronomy 28:47–48); the calendar now shows that His word stands. of Rehoboam’s reign • Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, reaped the fruit of both his father’s late–life idolatry (1 Kings 11:9–11) and his own harsh policies that split the kingdom (1 Kings 12:13–19). • The king’s leadership shaped the nation’s direction; when he allowed “male shrine prostitutes” and high places (1 Kings 14:24), covenant protection was forfeited (1 Kings 9:6–9). • 2 Chron 11:17 notes Judah followed Davidic ways only three years; by year five their drift was complete, setting the stage for invasion. Shishak king of Egypt • Shishak (Shoshenq I) was the same ruler who had sheltered Jeroboam during Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 11:40); old political ties now turned hostile. • Egypt, long-standing symbol of bondage, became God’s chosen instrument of discipline (Isaiah 19:1, 2 Chron 12:2–3). • The appearance of a named foreign monarch anchors the narrative in verifiable history, supporting the literal trustworthiness of the account. attacked Jerusalem • Shishak “came up against Jerusalem” and stripped the temple and palace of their treasures, including Solomon’s golden shields (1 Kings 14:26). • The incursion fulfilled Solomon’s own warning that if the nation turned away, God would make His house “an object of scorn” (1 Kings 9:7–9). • Yet the LORD tempered judgment with mercy: when Rehoboam and the leaders humbled themselves, He granted partial relief (2 Chron 12:5–7), illustrating both righteousness and compassion. • Consequences were tangible: – Loss of wealth (1 Kings 14:26) – Ongoing servitude payments (2 Chron 12:8) – Replacement of gold shields with bronze, a vivid downgrade of glory (1 Kings 14:27) summary 1 Kings 14:25 records a literal, datable moment when God allowed Egypt to humble Judah because Rehoboam and his people abandoned His commandments. The verse’s brief wording captures a larger reality: covenant disobedience invites swift, historical consequences. Yet even in judgment, the LORD remained faithful, using discipline to call His people back and preserve the Davidic line for His redemptive purposes. |
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