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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• 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 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

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. 2Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, “O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’ ” 3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the ashes on it shall 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 the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
• 2 Kings 23:17Then he said, “What gravestone is this that I see?” So the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.”
• 2 Chronicles 9:29Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer concerning Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
• 1 Kings 13:5The altar also was split apart, 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.
• 1 Kings 20:35Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him.
• Jeremiah 25:3“From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the Lord has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
• 1 Kings 12:32Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made.
• 2 Chronicles 26:18And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God.”
• Numbers 16:40to be a memorial to the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not a descendant of Aaron, should come near to offer incense before the Lord, that he might not become like Korah and his companions, just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
• Jeremiah 11:12Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
• Jeremiah 32:29And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and set fire to this city and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger;
• Malachi 1:11For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the Lord of hosts.
• Revelation 8:3Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before 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