I Kings 14:31 · Bible study
1 Kings 14:31 Commentary: Why Naamah Is Twice Named
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Naamah the Ammonitess is mentioned twice in Rehoboam's reign, and what her nationality reveals about the spiritual state of Judah.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The closing formula for Rehoboam's reign includes a repeated mention of his mother Naamah the Ammonitess, linking his spiritual failure to foreign influence.
- Key words: 'slept with his fathers' (H7901, H6912), a euphemism for death that also implies joining ancestors in the afterlife; 'Ammonitess' (H5984), a gentilic stressing foreign origin and covenant violation.
- Main debate: Whether the double mention is a sign of source compilation (Cambridge Bible) or a deliberate thematic emphasis on Naamah's role in Judah's apostasy (Gill, Keil).
- Theological theme: God's covenantal faithfulness to David's line persists despite a king compromised by foreign marriage and idolatry.
- Best use: Teaching on the weight of family influence, the danger of spiritual drift, and the resilience of God's promises.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David; his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. And his son Abijam reigned in his place.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. Abijam his son reigned in his place.
KJV King James Version 1769
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and Rehoboam lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David, and the name of his mother is Naamah the Ammonitess, and reign doth Abijam his son in his stead.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And Roboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with them, in the city of David: and his mother's name was Naama, an Ammonitess: and Abiam, his son, reigned in his stead.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y durmió Roboam con sus padres, y fué sepultado con sus padres en la ciudad de David. El nombre de su madre fué Naama, Ammonita. Y reinó en su lugar Abiam su hijo.
E descansou Roboão com seus pais, e foi sepultado com seus pais na cidade de Davi. O nome de sua mãe foi Naamá, amonita. E reinou em seu lugar Abião seu filho.
Roboam se coucha avec ses pères, et il fut enterré avec ses pères dans la ville de David. Sa mère s’ appelait Naama, l’ Ammonite. Et Abijam, son fils, régna à sa place.
Und Rehabeam entschlief mit seinen Vätern und ward begraben mit seinen Vätern in der Stadt Davids. Und seine Mutter hieß Naema, eine Ammonitin. Und sein Sohn Abiam ward König an seiner Statt.
En Rehabeam ontsliep met zijn vaderen, en werd begraven bij zijn vaderen in de stad Davids; en de naam zijner moeder was Naama, de Ammonietische; en zijn zoon Abiam regeerde in zijn plaats.
E Roboamo s’addormentò coi suoi padri e con essi fu sepolto nella città di Davide. Sua madre si chiamava Naama, l’Ammonita. Ed Abijam, suo figliuolo, regnò in luogo suo.
I zasnął Roboam z ojcy swymi, a pochowany jest z nimi w mieście Dawidowem; a imię matki jego było Naama, Ammonitka. I królował Abijam, syn jego, miasto niego.
И почил Ровоам с отцами своими и погребен с отцами своими в городе Давидовом. Имя матери его Наама Аммонитянка. И воцарился Авия, сын его, вместо него.
羅波安 與 他列祖 同睡，葬 在 大衛 城 他列祖的墳地裡。他母親 名 叫拿瑪，是亞捫人。他兒子 亞比央（又名亞比雅）接續他 作王。
And Rehoboam went to rest with his fathers, and was put into the earth with his fathers in the town of David; his mother's name was Naamah, an Ammonite woman. And Abijam his son became king in his place.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 14:31
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the repeated mention of Naamah the Ammonitess, here in the closing formula after appearing already in verse 21, is not an accident. Gill argues that the repetition calls attention to her as the leading step toward Rehoboam's idolatry and a means of his continuing in it. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges suggests the double mention signals that the compiler drew from at least two sources, each containing the same piece of information about the queen-mother. Keil and Delitzsch see the regular inclusion of the mother's name for every king of Judah as evidence of the queen-mother's political and spiritual influence, though they stop short of saying Naamah personally seduced the king to idolatry. Barnes notes that the formula 'slept with his fathers' is itself a repeated literary marker of God's ongoing mercy to David's line. Across these views, one point stands: Naamah's Ammonite origin matters. It places Rehoboam's religious failure squarely in the pattern set by his father Solomon (1 Kings 11:1, 8) and explains why Judah imitated the very nations the Lord had driven out.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Source-compilation view: The double mention of Naamah in verses 21 and 31 points to the use of two separate written sources by the compiler of Kings (Cambridge Bible).
- Thematic-emphasis view: The repetition is deliberate, forcing readers to connect Naamah's foreign origin with Judah's idolatry and apostasy (Gill, Matthew Henry).
- Formulaic/redactional view: The queen-mother's name was routinely included in regnal formulas regardless of content; the repetition may be a mechanical feature rather than a theological signal (Keil and Delitzsch, Barnes).
What is clear: Naamah was an Ammonitess, her nationality was significant for understanding Rehoboam's reign, and the verse closes the account with a standard formula that links each king of Judah to the line of David.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Why Naamah's name is repeated | The repetition is significant and draws attention to her identity as an Ammonitess. | Some commentators (Cambridge Bible) see it as evidence that the compiler used multiple sources; others (Gill, Matthew Henry) view it as a deliberate literary device to underline her role in leading Judah into idolatry. |
| Naamah's personal influence on Rehoboam's idolatry | Her foreign nationality was a factor in Judah's religious decline, consistent with the pattern of foreign wives leading to apostasy (1 Kings 11:1, 8). | Keil and Delitzsch caution against assuming she personally seduced the king, arguing the queen-mother was generally influential; Gill and Matthew Henry lean toward her direct role in fostering idolatry. |
| Abijam vs. Abijah variation | The king's name appears in two forms: Abijam in 1 Kings and Abijah in 2 Chronicles and some manuscripts. | Barnes suggests the altered form drops 'Jah' (Yahweh) due to religious disapproval of the king's character; others (Clarke, text critics) argue it is a simple scribal variation with no theological intent. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In ancient Judah the queen-mother (gebirah) held a role of real authority. She often served as the king's closest advisor, and her name was recorded at the start and end of a reign to signal family legitimacy. Rehoboam's mother Naamah is designated 'the Ammonitess,' a foreigner from one of the nations Israel was commanded not to marry (Deuteronomy 23:3). The same verse that describes the forbidden status of Ammonites also bars them from the assembly of the Lord, a sharp contrast with a king who descended from such a woman.
The literary frame of 1 Kings 14:31 uses the standard phrase 'slept with his fathers,' used for every Davidic king except Athaliah and Ahaz. But the duplication of Naamah's name within ten verses (verses 21 and 31) is unusual. It suggests that the historical compiler found her origin too important to omit even in a second close, perhaps because the entire chapter builds a case for why Judah fell. Earlier, Shishak of Egypt carried off the gold shields (vv.25, 27). Rehoboam replaced them with bronze and reduced the temple's glory, a visible symbol of spiritual decline. Naamah's name, repeated after that account, anchors the decline in a marriage choice that violated covenant boundaries.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note two textual issues in this verse. First, the name of Rehoboam's successor: where the Masoretic Text reads 'Abijam,' the Septuagint (Complutensian, Antwerp Polyglots) and the Syriac read 'Abia' or 'Abijah,' which also appears in 2 Chronicles 12:16. Adam Clarke and Barnes consider 'Abijah' ('my father is Yahweh') original, suggesting 'Abijam' may be a deliberate alteration to remove the divine element from a bad king's name. Second, the phrase 'his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess' is omitted in some LXX manuscripts (Vaticanus), likely due to the repetition from verse 21. The Cambridge Bible notes that the double occurrence suggests the compiler drew from two sources. No other significant variants are reported in the consulted sources.
Reception History
Christian interpreters across traditions have read this verse as a sobering footnote to a failed reign. Matthew Henry (1710) saw the repetition of Naamah's name as emphasizing the contamination that foreign marriage brought into the covenant community; he connected it to the bronze shields as a sign of diminished glory. The Geneva Bible notes (1599) provide no comment on the verse itself, but the broader Reformed tradition has stressed the verse's illustration of how one bad marriage can poison a dynasty. In modern conservative exegesis, commentators like Gill and Keil have debated whether the duplication reflects source criticism or intentional theological emphasis. The verse has also served as a caution in sermons on the importance of a mother's spiritual formation, though early church writers (e.g., Ephrem the Syrian) are only mentioned by Keil in passing and not quoted directly. The consistent thread across centuries is the recognition that Naamah's nationality is not incidental, it is a key that unlocks the spiritual tragedy of Rehoboam's reign.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The echo of influence. Naamah's name appears twice, reminding us that background and upbringing shape a life. Her Ammonite heritage was not erased by marriage into David's line. Rehoboam inherited both a throne and a spiritual liability.
- The pattern of compromise. Rehoboam 'slept with his fathers' but did not follow David's heart. The repeated mention of his mother ties his apostasy to the same foreign-wife pattern that ensnared Solomon (1 Kings 11:1, 8). No one drifts away alone.
- The persistence of grace. Despite Rehoboam's failure, the formula still calls Jerusalem 'the city of David.' God’s choice of that city and that dynasty continued. The throne passed to Abijam not because of the father’s merit but because of the covenant made to David.
Five-point outline
- Two mentions for a reason. The repetition of Naamah's name shows that Scripture flags what matters. Her nationality explains why Judah 'did evil' (1 Kings 14:22).
- The queen-mother's role. In ancient Judah, the gebirah wielded political and religious influence. Naamah likely reinforced the idolatrous practices she brought from Ammon.
- The bronze shields. After Shishak took the gold shields, Rehoboam made bronze substitutes. The loss of glory mirrors the loss of spiritual integrity that began with his mother's foreign worship.
- Abijam's name change. Commentators like Barnes note that Abijam (possibly 'My father is the sea') may have been altered from Abijah ('My father is Yahweh') due to religious discomfort. Even names can be edited to distance a king from God.
- A seed of hope. The line continues. The God who kept His word to David despite Rehoboam is the same God who keeps His word today.
Illustration hooks
- Family recipes. Most of us have a dish passed down from a grandparent. It carries seasoning, but also a story. Naamah brought her 'recipe' of worship from Ammon, and it flavored her son's reign.
- School enrollment forms. Many forms ask for a parent's or guardian's name. In ancient Judah, the queen-mother's name on the official record served a similar purpose: it showed who shaped the ruler.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does my family background determine my faith? Can I overcome a negative spiritual inheritance?
- Why does the Bible repeat itself? Is it just a copying error or is the repetition meaningful?
- What does it mean that God kept His promise to David even through a bad king? Does that mean He will keep His promises to us even when we fail?
Leading a Discussion
This verse looks like a simple closing formula, but it raises deep questions about influence, legacy, and God's stubborn faithfulness. Before you read the verse aloud, set the stage: Rehoboam's reign ended with a loss of treasure and a loss of spiritual commitment. Why would the writer include his mother's name twice? Let the group sit with that puzzle.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the repetition of Naamah's name in verses 21 and 31? Why do you think the writer includes it twice?
- Read Deuteronomy 23:3. What does the law say about Ammonites? Why does it matter that Rehoboam's mother was an Ammonitess?
- In your own words, what does it mean that Rehoboam 'slept with his fathers'? How does this phrase connect him to David and Solomon?
- Gill says Naamah's nationality was 'the leading step' to Rehoboam's idolatry. Do you agree? How much influence did the queen-mother likely have on the king's choices?
- First Kings 14:30 reports 'there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.' How does that ongoing conflict help explain the repeated emphasis on Naamah's origin?
- Think about the bronze shields that replaced the gold ones (v.27). How does that physical downgrade mirror what was happening spiritually in Judah under Rehoboam?
- What does this verse teach us about God's faithfulness to His promises, even when human leaders fail?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 11:43 | Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in his father David’s city; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place. |
| I Kings 14:20 | The days which Jeroboam reigned were twenty two years; then he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place. |
| I Kings 14:21 | Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which Yahweh had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. |
| I Kings 15:3 | He walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father. |
| I Kings 15:24 | Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place. |
| I Kings 22:50 | Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city. Jehoram his son reigned in his place. |
| I Chronicles 3:10 | Solomon’s son was Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, |
| II Chronicles 12:16 | Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city; and Abijah his son reigned in his place. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke focuses on the moral contamination of Abijam's parents, a heathen mother and apostate father, to argue that unrighteousness flows naturally from such a source. He warns that a bad stock produces bad fruit, though grace can be grafted in, cautioning against doing evil that good may come.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the formula "slept with his fathers" is used for most kings of Judah to show God's continued mercy to David's line. He also points out that the queen-mother's regular mention suggests her importance, and that "Abijam" may be a deliberately altered form of "Abijah" to remove the divine name from a wicked king.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the repeated mention of Rehoboam's Ammonite mother in two nearby passages suggests the compiler wove together separate source documents, each preserving the same detail. It also speculates that Solomon may have married Hanun's daughter as part of a reconciliation treaty after the events in 2 Samuel, though it warns the Greek addition supporting this theory has weak authority.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotator notes that Rehoboam's mother was Naamah the Ammonite, a detail underscoring how Solomon's foreign marriages left a lasting mark on the royal line. This observation connects the verse to the earlier warning that such alliances would lead the kingdom away from exclusive loyalty to God.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to why the writer repeats that Rehoboam's mother was Naamah the Ammonitess. He argues this detail is highlighted deliberately, because her foreign origin was the leading cause of Rehoboam's idolatry and his continued persistence in it.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch sees Jerusalem being called the Lord’s chosen city as a stark contrast to Rehoboam’s idolatry, not just a judgment on the ten tribes. They also note the queen-mother’s name appears because of her political influence, not because she led the king into sin.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange points out that the text says "Judah did evil," not that Rehoboam himself served idols. Rehoboam's sin was weakness: he publicly worshipped at the temple but passively permitted the people's idolatry, influenced by his Ammonite mother and many wives. He failed to enforce the law, not to follow it personally.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the biblical writer finishes Jeroboam’s story first even though he outlived Rehoboam, so that Rehoboam’s entire reign can be read as one continuous, sorrowful record. He calls it a sad account of spiritual decline, robbery, and the humiliating replacement of gold shields with bronze.