1 Kings 13:11

11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king.

1 Kings 13:11 in Other Translations

11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king.

11 As it happened, there was an old prophet living in Bethel, and his sons came home and told him what the man of God had done in Bethel that day. They also told their father what the man had said to the king.

11 There was an old prophet who lived in Bethel. His sons came and told him the story of what the holy man had done that day in Bethel, told him everything that had happened and what the holy man had said to the king.

11 Now a certain old prophet was living in Bethel. His son came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. His sons also told their father the words that he had spoken to the king.

1 Kings 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.

1 Kings 13:11 In-Context

9 For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’ ”

10 So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

11 Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king.

12 Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken.

13 So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it