1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.
3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This [is] the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that [are] upon it shall be poured out.
4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.
5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as [it was] before.
7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
9 For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.
11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, [Art] thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I [am].
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
18 He said unto him, I [am] a prophet also as thou [art]; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. [But] he lied unto him.
19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,
22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which [the LORD] did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, [to wit], for the prophet whom he had brought back.
24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
25 And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told [it] in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard [thereof], he said, It [is] the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.
27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled [him].
28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.
29 And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.
30 And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, [saying], Alas, my brother!
31 And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God [is] buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
32 For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which [are] in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
33 After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became [one] of the priests of the high places.
34 And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut [it] off, and to destroy [it] from off the face of the earth.
Summary of 1 Kings Chapter 13
1 Kings Chapter 13 narrates the story of a prophet from Judah who is sent by God to deliver a message to King Jeroboam of Israel. The chapter details the prophet’s mission, his encounter with the king, and the subsequent events that lead to his downfall due to disobedience.
Key Characters
- Prophet from Judah: A man of God who delivers God’s message to Jeroboam.
- King Jeroboam: The king of Israel who has turned away from God and established idol worship.
- Old Prophet from Bethel: A prophet who deceives the man of God and leads him astray.
Major Themes
- Obedience to God: The chapter emphasizes the importance of following God’s commands without deviation.
- Consequences of Disobedience: The tragic end of the prophet serves as a warning about the repercussions of ignoring God’s instructions.
- False Prophets: The encounter with the old prophet highlights the dangers of being misled by those who claim to speak for God.
Detailed Analysis
1. The Prophet’s Mission
The chapter opens with the prophet from Judah being commanded by God to go to Bethel and deliver a message against the altar built by Jeroboam. The prophet is instructed to proclaim judgment on the altar and to not eat or drink while he is there, nor to return by the same way he came. This emphasizes the seriousness of his mission and the need for obedience.
2. Confrontation with Jeroboam
Upon arriving in Bethel, the prophet boldly confronts King Jeroboam as he stands by the altar. He proclaims God’s judgment, stating that a child named Josiah will be born, who will sacrifice the false priests on the altar. Jeroboam reacts by stretching out his hand to seize the prophet, but his hand withers, demonstrating God’s power. The king asks the prophet to pray for him, which he does, and his hand is restored, highlighting both the prophet’s authority and Jeroboam’s desperation.
3. The Prophet’s Disobedience
After delivering the message, Jeroboam invites the prophet to come home and eat with him, but the prophet refuses, citing God’s command. However, an old prophet from Bethel hears of the events and deceives the man of God, claiming that an angel had told him to bring the prophet back to his house. The young prophet, swayed by the old prophet’s words, disobeys God and goes with him, illustrating the theme of vulnerability to false teachings.
4. The Consequences of Disobedience
While eating at the old prophet’s house, the true prophet receives a message from God condemning him for his disobedience. As he leaves, a lion kills him on the way back, but his body is left unharmed, and the lion does not eat the donkey he was riding. This event serves as a powerful testament to the seriousness of God’s commands and the dire consequences of failing to adhere to them.
5. The Old Prophet’s Response
The old prophet, upon hearing of the young prophet’s death, mourns for him and buries him in his own grave. He instructs his sons to bury him alongside the young prophet, expressing a recognition of the prophet’s true calling and a desire to honor him despite having led him astray.
Conclusion
1 Kings Chapter 13 serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of obedience to God’s word and the potential dangers posed by false prophets. The narrative illustrates how easily one can be led astray and the severe consequences that can follow disobedience. It emphasizes the need for discernment and faithfulness in following God’s commands.
