1 Kings 13: The man of God from Judah, the altar at Bethel, and the old prophet
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What happens?
A man of God comes from Judah to Bethel by Yahweh's word while Jeroboam stands at the altar, and he cries out against the altar: a son named Josiah will be born to David's house and will sacrifice the priests of the high places on it. When Jeroboam stretches out his hand to have him seized, his hand dries up and the altar splits apart, as the sign said; at the king's request the man of God prays, and the hand is given back. The man of God will not eat or drink there, because Yahweh's word had commanded him not to, and he goes home another way. An old prophet of Bethel goes after him and, lying, says that an angel told him to bring him back; the man of God goes back and eats. Then Yahweh's word comes to the old prophet, who tells the man of God that his body will not come to the grave of his fathers. On the road a lion kills him and stands beside the body with the donkey; the old prophet buries him in his own grave and tells his sons to bury him beside the man of God. After this, Jeroboam still makes priests for the high places from among all the people, and this becomes the sin of his house.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words of his own in this chapter. The man of God from Judah cries out Yahweh's message against the altar in verses 2 and 3 ("Yahweh says"); the text says he spoke by Yahweh's word, but the words are his, so they are not in gold. Jeroboam speaks in verses 4, 6 and 7, and the man of God answers him in verses 8 and 9; in verse 9, and again in verse 17, he tells what Yahweh's word had commanded him. The old prophet speaks to his sons in verses 12, 13, 27, 31 and 32, and to the man of God in verses 14, 15 and 18; the man of God answers in verses 14, 16 and 17. In verse 18 the old prophet says an angel spoke to him, and the text says he lied. In verses 21 and 22 the old prophet gives Yahweh's message to the man of God, after Yahweh's word came to him (verse 20); those words are his, so they are not in gold. He speaks again in verse 26, and in verse 30 they mourn, "Alas, my brother!" God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Behold, a man of God came out of Judah by Yahweh’s word to Bethel; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
In plain English: Look, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel by Yahweh's word (or: at Yahweh's command), while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense (literally: to make smoke).
Good to know: "Man of God" is what the text calls him all through this chapter; it never gives his name. The same title is used of Moses (), of Samuel (), and of Shemaiah in .
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2He cried against the altar by Yahweh’s word, and said, “Altar! Altar! Yahweh says: ‘Behold, a son will be born to David’s house, Josiah by name. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and they will burn men’s bones on you.’”
In plain English: He cried out against the altar by Yahweh's word and said, "Altar! Altar! Yahweh says: 'Look, a son will be born to David's house, Josiah by name. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones (this Bible: men's bones) will be burned on you.'"
Good to know: These are the man of God's words: he gives Yahweh's message ("Yahweh says"), so they are not in gold. The text names Josiah before he is born. and tell that Josiah broke down the altar at Bethel and burned bones on it, "according to Yahweh's word which the man of God proclaimed".
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3He gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which Yahweh has spoken: Behold, the altar will be split apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.”
In plain English: That same day he gave a sign (or: a wonder), saying, "This is the sign that Yahweh has spoken: Look, the altar will be split apart (literally: torn), and the ashes (literally: the fat ashes) on it will be poured out."
The Hebrew words: "Sign" is mophet, which the dictionary gives as "a miracle; by implication, a token or omen". "Split apart" is qara, "to rend", the word used for the torn kingdom and Ahijah's torn cloak in and . "Ashes" is deshen, which the dictionary gives as "the (fatty) ashes of sacrifices".
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4When the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam put out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him!” His hand, which he put out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to himself.
In plain English: When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar in Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out against him dried up (or: withered), so that he could not pull it back to himself.
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5The altar was also split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by Yahweh’s word.
In plain English: The altar was also split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, as the sign the man of God had given by Yahweh's word.
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6The king answered the man of God, “Now intercede for the favor of Yahweh your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” The man of God interceded with Yahweh, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and became as it was before.
In plain English: The king said to the man of God, "Please ask for the favor of Yahweh your God (literally: soften the face of Yahweh your God; see the note), and pray for me, so that my hand may be given back to me." The man of God asked Yahweh's favor, and the king's hand was given back to him and became as it was before.
The Hebrew word: "Intercede for the favor of" is literally "soften (or: stroke) the face of", from chalah, which the dictionary gives as "to be weak, sick, afflicted ... also to stroke (in flattering), entreat". The same word is used when Jeroboam's son "became sick" in .
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7The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”
In plain English: The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a gift (this Bible: a reward)."
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8The man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place;
In plain English: The man of God said to the king, "Even if you gave me half your house, I would not go in with you. I would not eat bread or drink water in this place,
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9for so was it commanded me by Yahweh’s word, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, drink no water, and don’t return by the way that you came.’”
In plain English: because I was commanded by Yahweh's word: 'You shall not eat bread or drink water, and you shall not go back by the way you came.'"
Good to know: Here the man of God tells what Yahweh's word had commanded him. It is his own report, so it is not in gold. The text has not given these words of Yahweh before; he tells them again in .
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10So he went another way, and didn’t return by the way that he came to Bethel.
In plain English: So he went another way, and did not go back by the way he had come to Bethel.
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11Now an old prophet lived in Bethel, and one of his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king.
In plain English: Now an old prophet was living in Bethel. His son (this Bible: one of his sons) came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words he had spoken to the king.
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12Their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” Now his sons had seen which way the man of God went, who came from Judah.
In plain English: Their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" His sons had seen (or: showed him) which way the man of God who came from Judah had gone.
Good to know: "Had seen" and "showed" are written with the same Hebrew letters. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "his sons shew him the way".
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13He said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it.
In plain English: He said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him, and he rode on it.
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14He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. He said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” He said, “I am.”
In plain English: He went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak (or: a big tree). He said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" He said, "I am."
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15Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”
In plain English: Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread."
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16He said, “I may not return with you, nor go in with you. I will not eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
In plain English: He said, "I cannot go back with you or go in with you. I will not eat bread or drink water with you in this place,
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17For it was said to me by Yahweh’s word, ‘You shall eat no bread or drink water there, and don’t turn again to go by the way that you came.’”
In plain English: because it was said to me by Yahweh's word, 'You shall not eat bread or drink water there, and you shall not go back by the way you came.'"
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18He said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by Yahweh’s word, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” He lied to him.
In plain English: He said to him, "I am also a prophet, as you are. An angel spoke to me by Yahweh's word, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.'" He was lying to him.
The Hebrew word: "Lied" is kachash, which the dictionary gives as "to be untrue, in word (to lie, feign, disown)".
Good to know: The text says plainly that the old prophet lied. The words he says an angel spoke are his own claim, so they are not in gold. The text does not say why he lied.
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19So he went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water.
In plain English: So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water.
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20As they sat at the table, Yahweh’s word came to the prophet who brought him back;
In plain English: As they were sitting at the table, Yahweh's word came to the prophet who had brought him back.
Good to know: The text says that Yahweh's word came to the same old prophet who had lied. What he cries out in verses 21 and 22 is his giving of Yahweh's message ("Yahweh says"), so it is not in gold. The text does not explain more.
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21and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Yahweh says, ‘Because you have been disobedient to Yahweh’s word, and have not kept the commandment which Yahweh your God commanded you,
In plain English: He cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, "Yahweh says, 'Because you have disobeyed Yahweh's word (literally: rebelled against the mouth of Yahweh) and have not kept the commandment that Yahweh your God commanded you,
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22but came back, and have eaten bread and drank water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread, and drink no water,” your body will not come to the tomb of your fathers.’”
In plain English: but came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you, "Do not eat bread, and do not drink water," your body will not come to the grave of your fathers.'"
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23After he had eaten bread and after he drank, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back.
In plain English: After he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, he saddled the donkey for him, for the prophet he had brought back.
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24When he had gone, a lion met him by the way and killed him. His body was thrown on the path, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the body.
In plain English: When he had gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. His body was thrown down on the road, and the donkey stood beside it. The lion also stood beside the body.
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25Behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the path, and the lion standing by the body; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.
In plain English: Some men passed by and saw the body thrown down on the road, and the lion standing beside the body. They came and told about it in the city where the old prophet lived.
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26When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to Yahweh’s word. Therefore Yahweh has delivered him to the lion, which has mauled him and slain him, according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke to him.”
In plain English: When the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, "It is the man of God who disobeyed Yahweh's word (literally: rebelled against the mouth of Yahweh). That is why Yahweh has given him to the lion, which has mauled (literally: broken) him and killed him, according to the word Yahweh spoke to him."
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27He said to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddled it.
In plain English: He said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me," and they saddled it.
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28He went and found his body thrown on the path, and the donkey and the lion standing by the body. The lion had not eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.
In plain English: He went and found the body thrown down on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or mauled (literally: broken) the donkey.
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29The prophet took up the body of the man of God, and laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. He came to the city of the old prophet to mourn, and to bury him.
In plain English: The prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey and brought it back. He came to the city of the old prophet, to mourn him and to bury him.
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30He laid his body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”
In plain English: He laid the body in his own grave, and they mourned over him: "Alas (or: Oh), my brother!"
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31After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones.
In plain English: After he had buried him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones,
Good to know: and tell that King Josiah later asked about this tomb and said, "Let him be! Let no one move his bones", so they let his bones alone, "with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria".
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32For the saying which he cried by Yahweh’s word against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely happen.”
In plain English: because what he cried out by Yahweh's word against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria, will surely happen."
Good to know: This is the first verse in this Bible that names Samaria. tells that Omri bought the hill of Samaria, built a city on it, and called the city Samaria.
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33After this thing, Jeroboam didn’t turn from his evil way, but again made priests of the high places from among all the people. Whoever wanted to, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places.
In plain English: After this, Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but again made priests for the high places from among all the people (literally: from the ends of the people). Whoever wanted to, he set apart as a priest (literally: filled his hand), so that there would be priests of the high places.
The Hebrew words: "Consecrated him" is literally "filled his hand", the words used for setting the priests apart in (see the note there). "From among all the people" is literally "from the ends of the people", as in .
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34This thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the surface of the earth.
In plain English: This thing became the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and destroy it from the face of the earth (literally: the ground).
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