(14) Shall raise him up a king.—Baasha. (See 1Kings 15:27-30.) For, like Jeroboam, he had (see 1Kings 16:2-4) a probation before God, in which he failed, drawing down doom on his house.

But what? even now.—The exact meaning of these words has been much disputed. The LXX. renders “and what? even now;” the Vulgate has “in this day and in this time;” the Chaldee Targum, “what is now, and what besides shall be.” Modern interpretations vary greatly. On the whole, perhaps, our version gives a not improbable rendering, and a simple and striking sense—“in that day; but what say I? the judgment is even now at hand.” (Comp. our Lord’s saying in Luke 12:49 : “I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? “)

1 Kings 14:14. The Lord shall raise him up a king — This king was Baasha, 1 Kings 15:27. Who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day — When he is so raised up, in the very beginning of his reign. But what? — Do I say he shall raise, as if it were a thing to be done at a great distance of time? The man is now in being, if not in power, who shall do this: this judgment shall be shortly executed. Sometimes God makes quick work with sinners. He did so with the house of Jeroboam. It was not twenty-four years from his first elevation to the final extirpation of his family.

14:7-20 Whether we keep an account of God's mercies to us or not, he does; and he will set them in order before us, if we are ungrateful, to our greater confusion. Ahijah foretells the speedy death of the child then sick, in mercy to him. He only in the house of Jeroboam had affection for the true worship of God, and disliked the worship of the calves. To show the power and sovereignty of his grace, God saves some out of the worst families, in whom there is some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel. The righteous are removed from the evil to come in this world, to the good to come in a better world. It is often a bad sign for a family, when the best in it are buried out of it. Yet their death never can be a loss to themselves. It was a present affliction to the family and kingdom, by which both ought to have been instructed. God also tells the judgments which should come upon the people of Israel, for conforming to the worship Jeroboam established. After they left the house of David, the government never continued long in one family, but one undermined and destroyed another. Families and kingdoms are ruined by sin. If great men do wickedly, they draw many others, both into the guilt and punishment. The condemnation of those will be severest, who must answer, not only for their own sins, but for sins others have been drawn into, and kept in, by them.The Hebrew text of this verse appears to be defective in this place. No satisfactory sense can be obtained from it. The true meaning of the original passage is possibly: "Yahweh shall raise up a king who will destroy the house of Jeroboam on the day that he is raised up. What do I say? He will destroy it even now." 14. the Lord shall raise him up a king … but what? even now—namely, Baasha (1Ki 15:27); he was already raised—he was in being, though not in power. Baasha, 1 Kings 15:28.

Who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day; when he is so raised; in the very beginning of his reign, 1 Kings 15:29.

But what? but what do I say, he shall raise, as it were a thing to be done at a great distance of time? he hath already raised him in some sort; the man is now in being, if not in power, who shall do this; this judgment shall be shortly executed.

Moreover the Lord shall raise up a king over Israel,.... Baasha is meant, 1 Kings 15:29.

who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day; immediately, as soon as on the throne, he should destroy his whole family, as he did, 1 Kings 15:29,

but what? even now; shall it be that day? yes; even at that very time, and which will be very quickly from this time; for as it may be supposed this was said at the latter end of Jeroboam's reign, and his son and successor reigned but two years ere this prophecy was accomplished. The Targum is,

"who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam, him that is living today, and shall be from henceforward.''

Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: {l} but what? even now.

(l) The Lord will begin to destroy it out of hand.