Therefore, 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 14:10KJV
truelightbible.com

1 Kings 14:10 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 14:10 mean?

1 Kings 14:10 announces that God will bring disaster on Jeroboam’s family, wiping out every male descendant and leaving nothing behind, just as someone completely removes waste. The verse uses strong language to show that Jeroboam’s entire household will be cut off and disgraced because of his actions.

The prophet Ahijah is speaking God’s message to Jeroboam’s wife, who has come in disguise to ask about her sick son. God’s judgment is harsh because Jeroboam led Israel into idolatry. The phrase “him that pisseth against the wall” is a blunt way of saying every male, and the comparison to removing dung means the destruction will be total and humiliating.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 14:10

  • רָעָה (ra‘ah, H7451) — “evil” or “disaster”: This word means not moral evil, but calamity or harm. Here, it stresses that the coming judgment is a severe misfortune sent by God.
  • מַשְׁתִּין בְּקִיר (mashtin b’qir, H8366 + H7023) — “him that pisseth against the wall”: This is a vivid Hebrew idiom for every male, emphasizing that no male descendant will survive.
  • גָּלָל (galal, H1557) — “dung”: The comparison to dung highlights the utter contempt and thoroughness with which Jeroboam’s house will be removed.

Why 1 Kings 14:10 matters

  • The verse clears up that God’s judgment on Jeroboam is not partial or symbolic; it is a complete removal of his family line, leaving no chance for recovery.
  • The language used is intentionally graphic to show the seriousness of Jeroboam’s sin and the shame that will come upon his house.
  • This verse connects to the larger story of how Israel’s kings are held accountable for leading the people away from God, setting a pattern for later judgments in the books of Kings.