1 Kings 13:1

1 And then this happened: Just as Jeroboam was at the Altar, about to make an offering, a holy man came from Judah by God's command

1 Kings 13:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 13:1

And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah
Whom Josephus ^F24 calls Jadon, perhaps the same with Iddo, who is by the Jewish writers ^F25 generally thought to be this man of God, and which may seem to be countenanced by ( 2 Chronicles 9:29 ) but cannot be, because this man was quickly slain, whereas Iddo lived after Rehoboam, and wrote his acts, first and last, nay, after Ahijah his son, ( 2 Chronicles 13:22 ) and for the same reason Shemaiah cannot be the man of God, ( 1 Kings 12:22 ) , though Tertullian ^F26 calls him Sameas, and designs Shemaiah: but, whoever he was, he came

by the word of the Lord to Bethel:
that is, by his command:

and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense;
at the time he came, ( 1 Kings 12:33 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 8. c. 8. sect. 3.)
F25 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 11. 1. Jarch & Kimchi in loc.
F26 De Jejuniis, c. 16.

1 Kings 13:1 In-Context

1 And then this happened: Just as Jeroboam was at the Altar, about to make an offering, a holy man came from Judah by God's command

2 and preached (these were God's orders) to the Altar: "Altar, Altar! God's message! 'A son will be born into David's family named Josiah. The priests from the shrines who are making offerings on you, he will sacrifice - on you! Human bones burned on you!'"

3 At the same time he announced a sign: "This is the proof God gives - the Altar will split into pieces and the holy offerings spill into the dirt."

4 When the king heard the message the holy man preached against the Altar at Bethel, he reached out to grab him, yelling, "Arrest him!" But his arm was paralyzed and hung useless.

5 At the same time the Altar broke apart and the holy offerings all spilled into the dirt - the very sign the holy man had announced by God's command.