1 Kings 13:1

1 Kings 13:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Beth–el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
• New Living Translation (NLT)At the Lord’s command, a man of God from Judah went to Bethel, arriving there just as Jeroboam was approaching the altar to burn incense.

Context of 1 Kings 13:1

By the word of the Lord a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. 2By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: “Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’ ” 3That same day the man of God gave a sign: “This is the sign the Lord has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out.”

1 Kings 13:1 word by word

וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And, behold, there cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• out of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
• by the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• unto Beth–elבֵּֽיתְ־אֵלbêyth-'êl · BethelH1008
• and Jeroboamיָֽרָבְעָםyârob‛âm · JeroboamH3379
• stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
• by the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• to burn incenseקָטַרqâţar · to offer: offerH6999

Cross-references for 1 Kings 13:1

• 1 Kings 12:22But this word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God:
• 2 Kings 23:17The king asked, “What is that tombstone I see?” The people of the city said, “It marks the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and pronounced against the altar of Bethel the very things you have done to it.”
• 2 Chronicles 9:29As for the other events of Solomon’s reign, from beginning to end, are they not written in the records of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat?
• 1 Kings 13:5Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the Lord.
• 1 Kings 20:35By the word of the Lord one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but he refused.
• Jeremiah 25:3For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:15According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
• 1 Kings 12:32He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.
• 2 Chronicles 26:18They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”
• Numbers 16:40as the Lord directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
• Jeremiah 11:12The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not help them at all when disaster strikes.
• Jeremiah 32:29The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down, along with the houses where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.
• Malachi 1:11My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty.
• Revelation 8:3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 13:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1There came a man of God - Who this was we know not. The Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic call him a prophet. The Vulgate and Septuagint follow the Hebrew, אלהים איש ish elohim means a Divine person, one wholly devoted to God's service. Some have thought it was Shemaiah, others Joel, and others Iddo. It could not have been the latter, for he wrote the acts of Jeroboam, 2 Chronicles 9:29, and the prophet was killed before he returned home; but conjecture is idle…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Rather, “in the word of the Lord.” The meaning seems to be, not merely that the prophet was bid to come, but that he came in the strength and power of God‘s word, a divinely inspired messenger. (Compare 1 Kings 13:2, 1Kings 13:5,1 Kings 13:32.) By the altar - “On the altar;” i, e. on the ledge, or platform, halfway up the altar, whereupon the officiating priest always stood to sacrifice. Compare 1 Kings 12:32 note.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Jeroboam's sin reproved. (1-10) The prophet deceived. (11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy. (23-34) Verses 1-10 In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of David would continue, and support true religion, when the ten tribes would not be able to resist them. If…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-10The story of the unnamed man of God who spoke against Jeroboam’s false altar at Bethel shows the authority of God’s word. This prophecy even gave a personal name connected with an event that would happen much later (2 Kings 23:15–20). Other examples are Isaiah’s prophecy of Cyrus as a future ruler (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1) and Micah’s prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Prophecies like these give assurance that God is in control…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-221Ki 13:1-22. Jeroboam's Hand Withers. 1. there came a man of God out of Judah--Who this prophet was cannot be ascertained, He came by divine authority. It could not be either Iddo or Ahijah, for both were alive after the events here related. Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense--It was at one of the annual festivals. The king, to give interest to the new ritual, was himself the officiating priest. The altar and its accompaniments would, of course…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 13:1

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Beth-El
• Calf
• Intercession
• Jeroboam
• Josiah
• Judgments
• Reproof
• Rulers

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jeroboam
• Judah
• man of God
• Bethel
• Cast
• Chronicles, Books of
• Iddo
• Jadon
• Josiah

Commentaries on 1 Kings 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings