The name Ahijah, meaning “My brother is the LORD” or “Brother of Yahweh,” belongs to several men in the Scriptures. However, the most prominent and historically significant individual is Ahijah the Shilonite, a prophet of God whose divine messages directly shaped the political landscape and destiny of the Kingdom of Israel.
1. Ahijah the Shilonite: The Prophet of Division
Ahijah the Shilonite was a prophet who lived in Shiloh during the reigns of King Solomon and King Jeroboam. His primary role was to declare the divine judgment that would result in the division of the united Kingdom of Israel.
The Prophecy of the Rent Garment
Ahijah is chiefly known for his dramatic, symbolic prophecy concerning the servant of King Solomon, Jeroboam the son of Nebat. This encounter, which took place on the road outside Jerusalem, foretold the rending of the kingdom from the hand of Solomon’s lineage:
“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: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.” — 1 Kings 11:29–31 (KJV)
This prophecy was fulfilled after Solomon’s death when the ten northern tribes rejected the oppressive rule of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, and made Jeroboam their king. This momentous event established the separate kingdoms of Israel (the ten tribes) and Judah (Judah and Benjamin).
Prophecy of Judgment Against Jeroboam
Later in his life, when Jeroboam’s son, Abijah, became sick, the King sent his wife in disguise to consult the aging and blind prophet Ahijah. Though his eyes were dim with age, the Lord revealed the deception to him, and Ahijah delivered a terrible message of divine judgment against the house of Jeroboam for his great sin of establishing calf-worship in Israel:
“And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy tidings. … Behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.” — 1 Kings 14:6, 10 (KJV)
Ahijah’s words were a testimony that the Lord will uphold His covenant but will not permit wickedness to remain unpunished, even in those He raises to power.
Ahijah the Chronicler
In addition to his prophetic ministry, Ahijah is noted as an author. The Scriptures attest that he recorded historical events pertaining to the reign of King Solomon:
“Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?” — 2 Chronicles 9:29 (KJV)
2. Other Individuals Named Ahijah
The Bible records others bearing this name, though with far less detail:
- Ahijah, Son of Ahitub: A priest in the days of King Saul, identified as the brother of Ichabod (1 Samuel 14:3, 18).
- Ahijah, the Scribe: One of the scribes (secretaries) for King Solomon (1 Kings 4:3).
- Ahijah, Son of Jerahmeel: A descendant of Judah through Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:25).
- Ahijah, a Levite: Mentioned as being over the treasures of the house of God and the dedicated things during the time of King David (1 Chronicles 26:20).
- Ahijah, the Father of Baasha: The father of Baasha, who would later become a king of Israel (1 Kings 15:27).