1 Kings 20:36

36 so he said to him, "Because you have disobeyed the Lord's command, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me." And as soon as he left, a lion came along and killed him. ¹

1 Kings 20:36 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:36

Then said he unto him, because thou hast not obeyed the voice
of the Lord
In not smiting him; which, if he was a prophet, he must know how great an evil it was to disregard or disobey what was said by a prophet in his name; he must be inexcusable:

behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee.
And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew
him;
which may seem severe, yet being an act of disobedience to the command of God, by a prophet of his, was punishable with death.

1 Kings 20:36 In-Context

34 Benhadad said to him, "I will restore to you the towns my father took from your father, and you may set up a commercial center for yourself in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria." Ahab replied, "On these terms, then, I will set you free." He made a treaty with him and let him go.

35 At the Lord's command a member of a group of prophets ordered a fellow prophet to hit him. But he refused,

36 so he said to him, "Because you have disobeyed the Lord's command, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me." And as soon as he left, a lion came along and killed him.

37 Then this same prophet went to another man and said, "Hit me!" This man did so; he hit him a hard blow and hurt him.

38 The prophet bandaged his face with a cloth, to disguise himself, and went and stood by the road, waiting for the king of Israel to pass.

Cross References

• 1. 20.36 1 Kings 13.24.