1 Kings 13:6

6 And the king said to the man of God, Beseech thou (before) the face of the Lord thy God, and pray thou for me, that mine hand be restored to me. And the man of God prayed (before) the face of the Lord; and the hand of the king turned again to him (and the king's hand was restored to him), and it was made as it was before.

1 Kings 13:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 13:6

And the king answered and said unto the man of God
In another tone than when he bid the people lay hold on him; not in a haughty, but humble manner; not as threatening, but supplicating:

entreat now the face of the Lord thy God;
he does not say "my God", for he had apostatized from him, and served other gods, but "thy" God, whose prophet he was, and who had an interest in him, as clearly appeared by what he had said and done by him;

and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again;
not that the anger of God might be turned away from him, and he enjoy the divine favour, and have an application of pardoning grace made to him, only to have this outward mercy, this temporal favour restored to him, the use of his hand:

and the man of God besought the Lord;
not rendering evil for evil; but being of a forgiving spirit, though the king had stretched out his hand against him, he lifted up his hands to heaven for him:

and the king's hand was restored again, and became as it was before;
which was another instance of divine power, and a further proof of the prophet's divine mission; from whence it might be concluded, that what he had prophesied of would be fulfilled, and was an instance also of divine goodness to the king, which should have led him to repentance, but did not.

1 Kings 13:6 In-Context

4 And when the king had heard the word of the man of God, which he had cried against the altar in Bethel, the king held forth his hand from the altar, and said, Take ye him. And his hand dried (up), which he had held forth, and he might not draw it again to himself.
5 Also the altar was cut, and the ash was shed out of the altar, by the sign which the man of God before-said, in the word of the Lord. (And the altar was split open, and the ashes were poured out of the altar, by the sign which the man of God had foretold, by the word of the Lord.)
6 And the king said to the man of God, Beseech thou (before) the face of the Lord thy God, and pray thou for me, that mine hand be restored to me. And the man of God prayed (before) the face of the Lord; and the hand of the king turned again to him (and the king's hand was restored to him), and it was made as it was before.
7 And the king spake to the man of God, (and said,) Come thou home with me, that thou eat, and I shall give gifts to thee.
8 And the man of God said to the king, Though thou shalt give to me the half part of thine house, I shall not come with thee, neither I shall eat bread, neither I shall drink water in this place.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.