1 Kings 13:20-30

20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back,

21 and he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus hath the LORD said, Forasmuch as thou hast rebelled against the mouth of the LORD and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

22 but didst come back and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

23 And when he had eaten of the bread and after he had drunk, the prophet that had brought him back saddled an ass for him,

24 and as he went, a lion met him by the way and slew him, and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, and the lion also stood by the carcase.

25 And, behold, men passed by and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

26 And when the prophet that had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, It is the man of God, who rebelled against the word of the LORD; therefore, the LORD has delivered him unto the lion, who has torn him and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke unto him.

27 And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me an ass. And they saddled it for him.

28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase; the lion had not eaten the carcase nor torn the ass.

29 And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God and laid it upon the ass and brought it back. And the old prophet came to the city to mourn and to bury him.

30 And he laid his carcase in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!

1 Kings 13:20-30 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.