1 Kings 13:11

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; they also told their father the words which he had spoken unto 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.


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 so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread nor drink water nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
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; they also told their father the words which he had spoken unto the king.
12 And their father said unto them, What way did he go? And his sons showed him the way the man of God had gone, who had come from Judah.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass, and he rode thereon
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010