The Meaning of 1 Kings 11:29 Explained

1 Kings 11:29

KJV: And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at that time, that Jeroboam hath gone out from Jerusalem, and Ahijah the Shilonite, the prophet, findeth him in the way, and he is covering himself with a new garment; and both of them are by themselves in a field,

Darby: And it came to pass at that time that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.

ASV: And it came to pass at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; now Ahijah had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass at that time  when Jeroboam  went out  of Jerusalem,  that the prophet  Ahijah  the Shilonite  found  him in the way;  and he had clad  himself with a new  garment;  and they two  [were] alone in the field: 

What does 1 Kings 11:29 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 11:26-40 - The Kingdom Promised To His Servant
The opening chapters of Jeroboam's life were very promising. He sprang from the ranks of the toilers, but his business talent attracted the notice of Solomon, who set him over the forced labor which was levied from the great tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, Whether Jeroboam had entertained the prospect of rulership before the prophet met him, we cannot tell, but after that interview his whole life was altered. And if only he had observed the injunction of 1 Kings 11:38, he might have lifted Israel to a level of prosperity and glory that would have blessed the world. But, alas! he sinned, and made Israel to sin- 1 Kings 12:30; 1 Kings 13:34; 1 Kings 14:16; 1 Kings 16:2; 1 Kings 16:9; 1 Kings 16:26, etc.
When God has given you your place, do not devise things out of your own heart, in order to retain it, 1 Kings 12:33. The plans that Jeroboam laid to secure the stability of his throne led to its undoing, and covered his name with undying infamy. "Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land." "Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil." "Thou maintainest my lot." Let those who feel compelled to do wrong in order to keep their business or position, dare to stand with God against the temptation. He will honor those who honor Him, 2 Samuel 2:30.
1 Kings 11:1-43 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 11

1  Solomon's wives and concubines
4  In his old age they draw him to idolatry
9  God threatens him,
14  Solomon's adversaries were Hadad, who was entertained in Egypt
23  Rezon, who reigned in Damascus
26  And Jeroboam, to whom Ahijah prophesied
41  Solomon's acts, reign, and death Rehoboam succeeds him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 11:29 mean?

And it came to pass at time that and when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem that met him Ahijah the Shilonite the prophet on the way and he had clothed himself with a garment new and the two [were] alone in the field
וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔יא וְיָֽרָבְעָ֖ם יָצָ֣א מִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וַיִּמְצָ֣א אֹת֡וֹ אֲחִיָּה֩ הַשִּׁילֹנִ֨י הַנָּבִ֜יא בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וְה֤וּא מִתְכַּסֶּה֙ בְּשַׂלְמָ֣ה חֲדָשָׁ֔ה וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם לְבַדָּ֖ם בַּשָּׂדֶֽה

וַֽיְהִי֙  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בָּעֵ֣ת  at  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֵת  
Sense: time.
הַהִ֔יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וְיָֽרָבְעָ֖ם  and  when  Jeroboam 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרָבְעָם  
Sense: the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 0 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign.
יָצָ֣א  went  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  of  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
וַיִּמְצָ֣א  that  met 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
אֲחִיָּה֩  Ahijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיָּה 
Sense: grandson of Phinehas.
הַשִּׁילֹנִ֨י  the  Shilonite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁילֹנִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Shiloh.
הַנָּבִ֜יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ  on  the  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
וְה֤וּא  and  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מִתְכַּסֶּה֙  had  clothed  himself 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
בְּשַׂלְמָ֣ה  with  a  garment 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שַׂלְמָה  
Sense: garment, outer garment, wrapper, mantle.
חֲדָשָׁ֔ה  new 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: חָדָשׁ  
Sense: new, new thing, fresh.
וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֥ם  and  the  two  [were] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, mdc, third person masculine plural
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
לְבַדָּ֖ם  alone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בַּד 
Sense: alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone.
בַּשָּׂדֶֽה  in  the  field 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.