1 Kings 13:10-25

10 So he took another road. He didn't go back on the same road he had taken when he came to Bethel.

11 An old prophet was living in Bethel. His sons came and spoke to him. They told him everything the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what the man had said to the king.

12 Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" His sons showed him the road the man of God from Judah had taken.

13 So he said to his sons, "Put a saddle on the donkey for me." When they had done it, he got on the donkey.

14 He traveled on the same road the man of God had taken. He found the man sitting under an oak tree. He asked him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" "I am," he replied.

15 So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me. I'll give you something to eat."

16 The man of God said, "I can't go back to Bethel with you. I can't eat bread or drink water with you there.

17 I've received a message from the Lord. He told me, 'Do not eat bread or drink water there. Do not return the same way you came.' "

18 The old prophet answered, "I'm also a prophet, just like you. An angel gave me a message from the Lord. The message said, 'Bring the man of God back with you to your house. Then he can eat bread and drink water with you.' " But the old prophet was telling him a lie.

19 The man of God returned with him. He ate and drank in his house.

20 They were sitting at the table. The LORD gave a message to the old prophet who had brought the man of God back.

21 He cried out to the man who had come from Judah. He told him, "The LORD says, 'You have not done what I told you to do. You have not obeyed the command I gave you. I am the LORD your God.

22 You came back here and ate bread and drank water. You did it in the place where I told you not to. So your body will not be buried in your family tomb.' "

23 The man of God finished eating and drinking. Then the old prophet who had brought him back put a saddle on the man's donkey for him.

24 And the man went on his way. A lion attacked him on the road and killed him. His body was left lying on the road. The donkey and the lion were standing beside it.

25 Some people passed by. They saw the body lying on the road. They saw the lion standing beside the body. Then they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.

1 Kings 13:10-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 13

In this chapter is an account of a man of God being sent to exclaim against Jeroboam's altar, and threaten its destruction, of which he gave a sign, which was accomplished, and with it the withering of the king's hand, which was healed upon the prophet's prayer for him, 1Ki 13:1-7, who would have entertained him at his house, but he refused the offer, and departed, 1Ki 13:8-10, but an old prophet in Bethel hearing of him, rode after him, and fetched him back to eat bread with him, through a lie he told him, 1Ki 13:11-19 upon which the word came to the old prophet, threatening the man of God with death for disobeying his command, and which was accordingly executed by a lion that met him in the way, and slew him, 1Ki 13:20-24, of which the old prophet being informed, went and took up his carcass, and buried it in his own sepulchre, where he charged his sons to bury him also when dead, believing that all the man of God had said would be fulfilled, 1Ki 13:25-30 and the chapter is closed with observing the continuance of Jeroboam in his idolatry, 1Ki 13:33,34.