The Meaning of 1 Kings 14:15 Explained

1 Kings 14:15

KJV: 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.

YLT: And Jehovah hath smitten Israel as the reed is moved by the waters, and hath plucked Israel from off this good ground that He gave to their fathers, and scattered them beyond the River, because that they made their shrines, provoking Jehovah to anger;

Darby: And 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 Asherahs, provoking Jehovah to anger.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 14:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 14:1-16 - The Blind Prophet Sees Jeroboam's Doom
How blind we become when we sin against our conscience! Each act of willful sin puts another shade on the window of the soul. "Their foolish heart was darkened," Romans 1:21. Surely if the prophet were able to predict the issue of this sickness, he would be able to penetrate the mother's disguise, although she brought only the gifts of a poor peasant woman. Jeroboam had devised this ruse, partly, because he did not wish the nation to know that he was consulting a prophet of Jehovah-an act which might invalidate his new temple and the calves, and also because he wanted to get a more favorable answer than that which he anticipated in case the prophet recognized the inquirer. We may disguise ourselves as we will, but we cannot cheat God, and no dissembling can ever turn away the arrow that speeds straight to the guilty heart.
Jewish historians say that the exception was made in Abijah's case, 1 Kings 14:13, because he interceded with his father that all Israelites who wished might be allowed to go to the feasts at Jerusalem, without being penalized. There is always discrimination in the divine judgments. How often God has brought beautiful lives out of foul surroundings, as the pure lily-cup out of a muddy pond! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 14

1  Abijah being sick,
2  Jeroboam sends his wife, disguised, with presents to the prophet Ahijah
5  Ahijah forewarned by God, denounces God's judgment
17  Abijah dies, and is buried
19  Nadab succeeds Jeroboam
21  Rehoboam's wicked reign,
25  Shishak raids Jerusalem
29  Abijam succeeds Rehoboam

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 14:15 mean?

For will strike Yahweh - Israel as is shaken a reed in the water and He will uproot Israel from land good this which He gave to their fathers and will scatter them beyond the River upon that they have made their wooden images provoking to anger Yahweh
וְהִכָּ֨ה יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָנ֣וּד הַקָּנֶה֮ בַּמַּיִם֒ וְנָתַ֣שׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵ֠עַל הָאֲדָמָ֨ה הַטּוֹבָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָתַן֙ לַאֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם וְזֵרָ֖ם מֵעֵ֣בֶר לַנָּהָ֑ר יַ֗עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ אֲשֵׁ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם מַכְעִיסִ֖ים יְהוָֽה

וְהִכָּ֨ה  For  will  strike 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יָנ֣וּד  is  shaken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּד  
Sense: to shake, waver, wander, move to and fro, flutter, show grief, have compassion on.
הַקָּנֶה֮  a  reed 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָנֶה  
Sense: reed, stalk, bone, balances.
בַּמַּיִם֒  in  the  water 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וְנָתַ֣שׁ  and  He  will  uproot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָתַשׁ  
Sense: to pull up, expel, root out, pluck up.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הָאֲדָמָ֨ה  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
הַטּוֹבָ֤ה  good 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
הַזֹּאת֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
נָתַן֙  He  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַאֲב֣וֹתֵיהֶ֔ם  to  their  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְזֵרָ֖ם  and  will  scatter  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: זָרָה 
Sense: to scatter, fan, cast away, winnow, disperse, compass, spread, be scattered, be dispersed.
מֵעֵ֣בֶר  beyond 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵבֶר  
Sense: region beyond or across, side.
לַנָּהָ֑ר  the  River 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָהָר  
Sense: stream, river.
יַ֗עַן  upon 
Parse: Adverb
Root: יַעַן  
Sense: because, therefore, because that, on account of prep.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָשׂוּ֙  they  have  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אֲשֵׁ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם  their  wooden  images 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֲשֵׁרָה  
Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.
מַכְעִיסִ֖ים  provoking  to  anger 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: כָּעַס  
Sense: to be angry, be vexed, be indignant, be wroth, be grieved, provoke to anger and wrath.
יְהוָֽה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.