Kings I 13:11

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? and Saul said, Because I saw how the people were scattered from me, and thou was not present as thou purposedst according to the set time of the days, and the Philistines were gathered to Machmas.

Kings I 13:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 13:11

Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel
The Targum is, a false prophet, so Josephus ^F2; it is hard to say what he was, a good man or a bad man; if a good man, he was guilty of many things which are not in his favour, as dwelling in such an idolatrous place suffering his sons to attend idolatrous worship, and telling the man of God a premeditated lie; and yet there are several things which seem contrary to his being a bad man, and of an ill character, since he is called an old prophet, did not attend idolatrous worship, showed great respect to the man of God, had the word of God sent unto him concerning him, believed that what he had prophesied should come to pass, buried the man of God in his own grave, and desired his sons to bury him with him. In some copies his name is said to be Micah, as Kimchi observes, and other Jewish writers ^F3 say the same; though some take him to be Amaziah the priest of Bethel, and others Gersom the son of Moses {d}, but without any foundation; though he now dwelt at Bethel, he was originally of Samaria, ( 2 Kings 23:18 ) ,

and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had
done that day in Bethel;
that the altar was rent, and the ashes poured out, as he had said, and that Jeroboam's hand withered, and was restored upon his prayer to God:

the words which he had spoken unto the king;
that one should be born of the family of David, Josiah by name, that should offer the idolatrous priests, and burn the bones of men upon that altar, and that that should be rent, and its ashes poured forth, which was done:

them they told also their father;
gave him a particular account of his actions and words.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 9. sect. 1.
F3 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 104. 1.
F4 Shalshalet Hakabala, ut supra. (fol. 11. 1.) Shirhalbirim Rabba, fol. 10. 2.

Kings I 13:11 In-Context

9 And Saul said, Bring hither , that I may offer whole-burnt-offerings and peace-offerings: and he offered the whole-burnt-offering.

10 And it came to pass when he had finished offering the whole-burnt-offering, that Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet him, to bless him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? and Saul said, Because I saw how the people were scattered from me, and thou was not present as thou purposedst according to the set time of the days, and the Philistines were gathered to Machmas.

12 Then I said, Now will the Philistines come down to me to Galgala, and I have not sought the face of the Lord: so I forced myself and offered the whole-burnt-offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever.