1 Kings 13

Jeroboam’s Hand Withers

(2 Kings 23:4–20; 2 Chronicles 34:3–7)

1SuddenlyH2009, as JeroboamH3379 was standingH5975 besideH5921 the altarH4196 to burn incenseH6999, there cameH935 a manH376 of GodH430 from JudahH3063 toH413 BethelH1008 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068. 2And he cried outH7121 againstH5921 the altarH4196 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, “O altarH4196, O altarH4196, this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559H2009: ‘A sonH1121 namedH8034 JosiahH2977 will be bornH3205 to the houseH1004 of DavidH1732, and upon youH5921 he will sacrificeH2076 the priestsH3548 of the high placesH1116 who burn incenseH6999 upon youH5921, and humanH120 bonesH6106 will be burnedH8313 upon youH5921.’”1

3ThatH1931 dayH3117 the man of God gaveH5414 a signH4159, sayingH559, “The LORDH3068 has spokenH1696 thisH2088 signH4159: ‘SurelyH2009 the altarH4196 will be split apartH7167, and the ashesH1880 upon itH5921 will be poured outH8210.’”

4Now whenH1961 KingH4428 JeroboamH3379, who was atH5921 the altarH4196 inH1008 BethelH1008, heardH8085 the wordH1697 thatH834 the manH376 of GodH430 had cried outH7121 againstH5921 it, he stretched outH7971 his handH3027 and saidH559, “Seize himH8610!” But the handH3027 he stretched outH7971 toward himH5921 witheredH3001, so that he couldH3201 notH3808 pull it backH7725H413. 5And the altarH4196 was split apartH7167, and the ashesH1880 poured outH8210, according to the signH4159 thatH834 the manH376 of GodH430 had givenH5414 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068.

6Then the kingH4428H559 respondedH6030 toH413 the manH376 of GodH430, “IntercedeH2470H4994 withH6440 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 and prayH6419 for meH1157 that my handH3027 may be restoredH7725.”

So the manH376 of GodH430 intercededH2470 withH6440 the LORDH3068, and the king’sH4428 handH3027 was restoredH7725 to himH413 asH1961 it was beforeH7223.

7Then the kingH4428 saidH1696 toH413 the manH376 of GodH430, “ComeH935 homeH1004 with meH854 and refresh yourselfH5582, and I will giveH5414 you a rewardH4991.”

8But the manH376 of GodH430H413H4428 repliedH559, “IfH518 you were to giveH5414 me halfH2677 your possessionsH1004, I still would notH3808 goH935 with youH5973, norH3808 would I eatH398 breadH3899H3808 or drinkH8354 waterH4325 in thisH2088 placeH4725. 9ForH3588 this is whatH3651 I was commandedH6680 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068H559: ‘You must notH3808 eatH398 breadH3899H3808 or drinkH8354 waterH4325H3808 or returnH7725 by the wayH1870 you cameH1980.’”

10So the man of God wentH1980 anotherH312 wayH1870 and did notH3808 returnH7725 by the wayH1870 he had comeH935 toH413 BethelH1008.

The Old Prophet and the Man of God

11Now a certainH259 oldH2205 prophetH5030 was livingH3427 in BethelH1008, and his sonsH11212 cameH935 and toldH5608 him allH3605 the deedsH4639 thatH834 the manH376 of GodH430 had doneH6213 that dayH3117 in BethelH1008. They also toldH5608 their fatherH1 the wordsH1697 thatH834 the man had spokenH1696 toH413 the kingH4428.

12“WhichH335H2088 wayH1870 did he goH1980?” their fatherH1 askedH1696.

And his sonsH1121 showed himH72003 the wayH1870 takenH1980 by the manH376 of GodH430, whoH834 had comeH935 from JudahH3063. 13So the prophet saidH559 toH413 his sonsH1121, “SaddleH2280 the donkeyH2543 for me.”

Then they saddledH2280 the donkeyH2543 for him, and he mountedH7392 itH5921 14and wentH1980 afterH310 the manH376 of GodH430. He found himH4672 sittingH3427 underH8478 an oak treeH4244 and askedH559H413, “Are youH859 the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 cameH935 from JudahH3063?”

“IH589 am,” he repliedH559.

15So the prophet saidH559 toH413 the man of God, “ComeH1980 homeH1004 with meH854 and eatH398 some breadH3899.”

16But the man repliedH559, “I cannotH3808H3201 go homeH7725H854H935 with youH854, and I will notH3808 eatH398 breadH3899H3808 or drinkH8354 waterH4325 with youH854 in thisH2088 placeH4725. 17ForH3588 IH413 have been toldH1697 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068: ‘You must notH3808 eatH398 breadH3899H3808 or drinkH8354 waterH4325H3808 thereH8033 or returnH7725H1980 by the wayH1870 you cameH1980.’”

18Then the prophet repliedH559, “IH589 tooH1571 am a prophetH5030 like youH3644, and an angelH4397 spokeH1696 to meH413 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, sayingH559, ‘Bring him backH7725 with youH854 toH413 your houseH1004, so that he may eatH398 breadH3899 and drinkH8354 waterH4325.’”

The old prophet was lyingH3584 to him, 19but the man of God went backH7725 with himH854, ateH398 breadH3899 in his houseH1004, and drankH8354 waterH4325.

20While theyH1992 were sittingH3427 atH413 the tableH7979H1961, the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 the prophetH5030 whoH834 had brought him backH7725, 21and the prophet cried outH7121 toH413 the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 had comeH935 from JudahH3063, “This is whatH3541H559 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘BecauseH3282H3588 you have defiedH4784 the wordH6310 of the LORDH3068 and have notH3808 keptH8104 the commandmentH4687 thatH834 the LORDH3068 your GodH430 gave youH6680, 22but you went backH7725 and ateH398 breadH3899 and drankH8354 waterH4325 in the placeH4725 whereH834 He toldH1696 youH413 notH408 to do soH398H3899H408H8354H4325, your bodyH5038 shall neverH3808 reachH935H413 the tombH6913 of your fathersH1.’”

23AndH1961 afterH310 the man of God had finished eatingH398 andH310 drinkingH8354, the old prophetH5030 whoH834 had brought him backH7725 saddledH2280 the donkeyH2543 for him. 24As he went on his wayH1980, a lionH738 met himH4672 on the roadH1870 and killed himH4191, and his bodyH5038 wasH1961 left lyingH7993 in the roadH1870, with the donkeyH2543 and the lionH738 standingH5975 besideH681 it.

25And there wereH2009 menH582 passing byH5674 who sawH7200 the bodyH5038 lyingH7993 in the roadH1870 withH853 the lionH738 standingH5975 besideH681 itH5038, and they wentH935 and reported thisH1696 in the cityH5892 whereH834 the oldH2205 prophetH5030 livedH3427.

26When the prophetH5030 whoH834 had brought him backH7725 fromH4480 his journeyH1870 heard thisH8085, he saidH559, “ItH1931 is the manH376 of GodH430 whoH834 disobeyedH4784 the commandH6310 of the LORDH3068. Therefore the LORDH3068 has delivered himH5414 to the lionH738, and it has mauled himH7665 and killed himH4191, according to the wordH1697 that the LORDH3068 had spokenH1696 to him.”

27Then the old prophet instructedH1696H413 his sonsH1121H559, “SaddleH2280 the donkeyH2543 for me.” So they saddledH2280 it, 28and he wentH1980 and foundH4672 the bodyH5038 lyingH7993 in the roadH1870, with the donkeyH2543 and the lionH738 standingH5975 besideH681 it. The lionH738 had notH3808 eatenH398 the bodyH5038H3808 or mauledH7665 the donkeyH2543. 29So the old prophetH5030 lifted upH5375 the bodyH5038 of the manH376 of GodH430, laidH5117 it onH413 the donkeyH2543, and brought it backH7725 to his ownH2205 cityH5892 to mourn for himH5594 and bury himH6912. 30Then he laidH5117 the bodyH5038 in his own tombH6913, and they lamentedH5594 over himH5921, “OhH1945, my brotherH251!”

31

AfterH310 he had buried himH6912, the prophet saidH559 toH413 his sonsH1121H559, “When I dieH4191, you must buryH6912 meH853 in the tombH6913 whereH834 the manH376 of GodH430 is buriedH6912. LayH5117 my bonesH6106 besideH681 his bonesH6106, 32forH3588 the messageH1697 thatH834 he cried outH7121 by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 againstH5921 the altarH4196 in BethelH1008 and againstH5921 allH3605 the shrinesH1004 on the high placesH1116 in the citiesH5892 of SamariaH8111 will surely come to passH1961.”

33Even afterH310 theseH2088 eventsH1697, JeroboamH3379 did notH3808 repentH7725 of his evilH7451 waysH1870, but againH7725 he appointedH6213 priestsH3548 for the high placesH1116 from every classH7098 of peopleH5971. He ordainedH4390 anyone who desiredH2655 to beH1961 a priestH3548 of the high placesH1116. 34And thisH2088 wasH1961H1697 the sinH2403 of the houseH1004 of JeroboamH3379 that led to its exterminationH3582 and destructionH8045 fromH5921 the faceH6440 of the earthH127.