King Jeroboam and his wife, the Queen, had a dear little son whom they called Abijah. He was a good child, and they hoped that some day he would become a strong man. But one day the child became side, and for many days afterwards he lay upon his bed not caring any more to run about and play like other children.
When weeks passed by and still the little Prince lay suffering, his parents feared that he might die. Finally Jeroboam decided to ask a prophet of God whether his little boy would ever be well again. But he was afraid to have the Lord’s prophet know that he was sending to find out. He knew he had not pleased God when he made the golden calves. He was afraid the prophet would reprove him for his wrong-doing. So he told his wife to go to visit Ahijah, the old prophet who had given him the ten pieces of a tom garment and had told him that he should become the first king of Israel.
Ahijah was now an old man, and he was blind. Jeroboam’s wife dressed herself in shabby clothes and pretended that she was some poor woman in trouble. Then she took ten loaves of bread and some cakes and a bottle of honey as a gift for the prophet, and started on her journey. Her heart was very heavy, for she loved her child and she was afraid he might never be well again. She hurried along the dusty road, wishing to finish her errand as soon as possible and return again to the bedside of the little Prince.
Although Ahijah was blind, yet the Queen did not deceive him. God had caused him to know that he would have a visitor and who his visitor would be. When the Queen came to the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam; why are you trying to make me believe that you are another woman? I have sad news to tell you: today.”
Jeroboam, and his wife had forgotten that God might speak to a blind prophet as easily as to one who could see. So now the Queen was surprized to hear Ahijah’s words. She came into the room and gave her offering to the blind old man. Then she listened while he told her the words of the Lord.
“Go home again to your husband,” said he, “and tell him that God has said he must be punished because he has refused to do right and to rule his people wisely. He has made idols of gold and has caused his people to serve them and to cast the Lord behind their backs.
Now instead of having blessings he shall have sorrows. This sick child, whom he loves, shall die, and shall be buried in honor and mourned by the people of the kingdom. But his other sons and daughters shall be killed and the kingdom shall be taken away from Jeroboam’s house forever.”
The prophet said that the little Prince would die at the moment when the Queen should enter her home city, and she would never see him alive again. So when she turned away from Ahijah’s home her heart was very sad. Just as she entered her home city, little Abijah took his last breath, and when she came to his room he was lying dead upon his bed.
The words of the prophet came to pass, and after Jeroboam died his son Who took the throne was killed by another wicked man. Then all the children of Jeroboam were killed and their dead bodies were thrown out into the streets and into the fields for the wild dogs and the birds to eat. This was the dreadful punishment for Jeroboam’s sin of idolatry in the kingdom of Israel.