Where did Jeroboam's son die?

I was wondering if you could help me on a question I have reconciling I Kings 14:12 and 14:17 . I Kings 14:12 says that when Jereboam's wife's feet enter into the city, that her child would die. However, verse 17 says that when she came to the threshhold of the door, the child died. Could you help me with reconciling this? If you can, I thank you.

Answer:

Here is the text in question:

(1 Ki 14:11-17 NIV) Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country. The LORD has spoken!' {12} "As for you, go back home. When you set foot in your city, the boy will die. {13} All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. He is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will be buried, because he is the only one in the house of Jeroboam in whom the LORD, the God of Israel, has found anything good. {14} "The LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel who will cut off the family of Jeroboam. This is the day! What? Yes, even now. {15} And the LORD will strike Israel, so that it will be like a reed swaying in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that he gave to their forefathers and scatter them beyond the River, because they provoked the LORD to anger by making Asherah poles. {16} And he will give Israel up because of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit." {17} Then Jeroboam's wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died.

My suggestion is this:

1 Ki 14:12 "As for you, go back home (to your house: bayith:H1004 ). When you set foot in your city, ('iyr:H5892) the boy will die.

1 Ki 14:17 Then Jeroboam's wife got up and left and went to Tirzah. As soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house door,( bayith:H1004) , the boy died.

The same Hebrew word bayith (house) is used twice, in v 12 and in v 17.

I don't think that there is a real contradiction since in v12 he says when you go to your house (heb: bayith) the boy will die v 17 says as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house door (heb: bayith) the boy died.

Secondly the word for city (iyr) can mean 'court' and the word for door (bayith) can include court.

Thirdly it is also possible the the entrace (door) to the court is also at the entrance of the city. According to the New Bible Dictionary Tirzah had one large administrive building near the gate

Remember the Hebrew vocabulary only included 3,000 words which can have more than one shade of meaning, according to context.

Unfortunately our English translations are not perfect (I used Quickverse 4.0 with KJV, NIV, NASB and Greek/Hebrew)