Definition: And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he [is] sick: thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself [to be] another [woman].

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from 1 Kings 14:5. It’s a really interesting passage about leadership and how God wants to guide a king. Here's the explanation in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: This verse is about a situation where the king needs to be very careful about who he chooses as his successor – his heir. It’s essentially saying, “Be cautious when choosing your next leader because you need to protect the kingdom.” Let's unpack it piece by piece: “And the LORD said unto Ahijah…” : This refers to a prophet named Ahijah, who was speaking to King Solomon. The Lord is speaking directly to him. “…behold, the wife of Jeroboam cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he [is] sick:” This means that a woman named Jerobeam’s wife came to King Solomon with a problem – her husband was ill. “thus and thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, that she shall feign herself [to be] another [woman].” : This is the crucial part. The king has to pretend to be someone else – a woman – when this wife arrives. He needs to act like he’s not her husband's wife. What does it mean? Essentially, this verse says that the king must be very careful about who he appoints as his heir because they need to protect the kingdom from chaos and instability. It's a way of saying, "Don't let anyone who isn’t truly your son become leader – you need to ensure the right person is in charge." It emphasizes the importance of choosing wisely and acting with foresight. Why was this done? This story likely reflects a concern about power and succession within the kingdom of Israel. The king needed to make sure that whoever he chose as his successor wouldn’t be seen as a threat to the stability of the land. In short, it's a warning about choosing wisely and being cautious when dealing with leadership because you need to protect your kingdom. --- Do you want me to: Explain this verse in more detail? Connect it to other biblical stories or concepts? Answer any specific questions you might have about the meaning of this passage?