Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 14:14

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

14. that day ] i.e. On which the Lord hath appointed: the day when the new king shall arise.

but what? even now ] This elliptic phrase seems to be best filled out somewhat thus. But what (am I saying? Why do I speak of that day? It will so soon come to pass that I may call it) even now.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

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.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Baasha, 1Ki 15:28.

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

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

14. the Lord shall raise him up aking . . . but what? even nownamely, Baasha (1Ki15:27); he was already raisedhe was in being, though not inpower.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Moreover the Lord shall raise up a king over Israel,…. Baasha is meant, 1Ki 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, 1Ki 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.”

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(14) Shall raise him up a king.Baasha. (See 1Ki. 15:27-30.) For, like Jeroboam, he had (see 1Ki. 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 sensein that day; but what say I? the judgment is even now at hand. (Comp. our Lords saying in Luk. 12:49 : I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? )

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

14. The Lord shall raise him up a king This king was Baasha, and we read the fulfilment of this prophecy in 1Ki 15:27-30. That day:

but what? even now Why speak of that day when Baasha shall cut off the house of Jeroboam? Even now, in the death of this innocent and pious son, the cutting off of all his hopes begins.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

“ Moreover YHWH will raise him up a king over Israel, who will cut off the house of Jeroboam that day. But what? Even now.”

Furthermore it was YHWH’s intention to raise up a king over Israel who would cut off the house of Jeroboam ‘in that day’. In other words, when in the course of events Jeroboam’s house was smitten by a claimant to the throne, they were to recognise that it was of YHWH. For in the end all history is in His hands.

“But what? Even now.” The simplest explanation of these abrupt words is that they signify ‘But what shall we say? He has done it even now’. In other words YHWH would not only do it in some unknown future, but was even at this time bringing it about.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Ki 14:14. But what? even now Houbigant renders this, and at this very time; observing that the Hebrew particle meh, is not always interrogative.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

1Ki 14:14 Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.

Ver. 14. But what? even now, ] a q.d., Why say I the Lord shall raise up Baasha for an executioner of his wrath? Is he not even now in doing of it? Is not Baasha busily laying his plots already for the kingdom?

a Quis vero si iam? – Tigur.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)