1 Kings 13:18-28

18 He said unto him, "I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, `Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied unto him.

19 So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.

20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet who brought him back;

21 and he cried unto the man of God who came from Judah, saying, "Thus saith the LORD: `Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

22 but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which the LORD said to thee, "Eat no bread, and drink no water," thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.'"

23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way and slew him; and his carcass was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it; the lion also stood by the carcass.

25 And behold, men passed by and saw the carcass cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcass; and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

26 And when the prophet who brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, "It is the man of God who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD. Therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him and slain him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke unto him."

27 And he spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle me the ass." And they saddled him.

28 And he went and found his carcass cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcass. The lion had not eaten the carcass nor torn the ass.

1 Kings 13:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 13

In this chapter is an account of a man of God being sent to exclaim against Jeroboam's altar, and threaten its destruction, of which he gave a sign, which was accomplished, and with it the withering of the king's hand, which was healed upon the prophet's prayer for him, 1Ki 13:1-7, who would have entertained him at his house, but he refused the offer, and departed, 1Ki 13:8-10, but an old prophet in Bethel hearing of him, rode after him, and fetched him back to eat bread with him, through a lie he told him, 1Ki 13:11-19 upon which the word came to the old prophet, threatening the man of God with death for disobeying his command, and which was accordingly executed by a lion that met him in the way, and slew him, 1Ki 13:20-24, of which the old prophet being informed, went and took up his carcass, and buried it in his own sepulchre, where he charged his sons to bury him also when dead, believing that all the man of God had said would be fulfilled, 1Ki 13:25-30 and the chapter is closed with observing the continuance of Jeroboam in his idolatry, 1Ki 13:33,34.