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Thursday, August 28th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Good News Translation

1 Kings 13:1

At the Lord 's command a prophet from Judah went to Bethel and arrived there as Jeroboam stood at the altar to offer the sacrifice.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Beth-El;   Calf;   Intercession;   Jeroboam;   Josiah;   Judgments;   Reproof;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Beth-El;   Jeroboam;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Calves of Jeroboam;   Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bethel;   Iddo;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Bethel;   Jeroboam;   Josiah;   Prophecy, prophet;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bethel;   Jeroboam;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bethel;   False Prophet;   High Place;   Iddo;   Jeroboam;   King, Kingship;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jadon;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Bethel ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Jeroboam;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Josiah;   Old Prophet, the;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bethel;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A man of God came, however, from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord while Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense.
Hebrew Names Version
Behold, there came a man of God out of Yehudah by the word of the LORD to Beit-El: and Yarov`am was standing by the altar to burn incense.
King James Version
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
English Standard Version
And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings.
New Century Version
The Lord commanded a man of God from Judah to go to Bethel. When he arrived, Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer a sacrifice.
New English Translation
Just then a prophet from Judah, sent by the Lord , arrived in Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing near the altar ready to offer a sacrifice.
Amplified Bible
Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word (command) of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar [which he had built] to burn incense.
New American Standard Bible
Now behold, a man of God came from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing at the altar to burn incense.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And beholde, there came a man of God out of Iudah (by the commaundement of the Lorde) vnto Beth-el, and Ieroboam stoode by the altar to offer incense.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of Yahweh, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
Contemporary English Version
One day, Jeroboam was standing at the altar in Bethel, ready to make an offering. Suddenly one of God's prophets arrived from Judah and shouted: The Lord sent me with a message about this altar. A child named Josiah will be born into David's family. He will sacrifice on this altar the priests who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on it.
Complete Jewish Bible
Just then, as Yarov‘am was standing by the altar to burn incense, a man of God came out of Y'hudah, directed to Beit-El by a word from Adonai .
Darby Translation
And behold, there came a man of God from Judah, by the word of Jehovah, to Bethel; and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord commanded a man of God from Judah to go to the city of Bethel. King Jeroboam was standing at the altar offering incense when the man of God arrived.
George Lamsa Translation
AND, behold, there came a prophet out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Beth-el; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense on the fifteenth day of the month, according to the feast which was in Judah. And he burned incense on the altar.
Lexham English Bible
Suddenly a man of God from Judah came to Bethel, by the word of Yahweh, while Jeroboam was standing at the altar to offer incense.
Literal Translation
And, behold, a man of God had come from Judah to Bethel, by the Word of Jehovah, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And beholde, there came a ma of God from Iuda (thorow the worde of the LORDE) vnto Bethel, and Ieroboam stode by the altar to burne incense.
American Standard Version
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Jehovah unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
Bible in Basic English
Then a man of God came from Judah by the order of the Lord to Beth-el, where Jeroboam was by the altar, burning offerings.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And behold, ther came a man of God out of Iuda by the worde of the lord, vnto Bethel: and Ieroboam stoode by the aulter to put incense.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Beth-el; and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer.
King James Version (1611)
And behold, there came a man of God out of Iudah by the word of the Lord vnto Bethel: and Ieroboam stood by the altar to burne incense.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And behold, there came a man of God out of Juda by the word of the Lord to Baethel, and Jeroboam stood at the altar to sacrifice.
English Revised Version
And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Beth–el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
Berean Standard Bible
Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And lo! a man of God cam fro Juda, bi the word of the Lord, in to Bethel, while Jeroboam stood on the auter, `and castide encence.
Young's Literal Translation
And lo, a man of God hath come from Judah, by the word of Jehovah, unto Beth-El, and Jeroboam is standing by the altar -- to make perfume;
Update Bible Version
And, look, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Yahweh to Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
Webster's Bible Translation
And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
World English Bible
Behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Yahweh to Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
New King James Version
And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
New Living Translation
At the Lord 's command, a man of God from Judah went to Bethel, arriving there just as Jeroboam was approaching the altar to burn incense.
New Life Bible
A man of God came from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn special perfume.
New Revised Standard
While Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer incense, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And lo! a man of God, came in out of Judah, by the word of Yahweh, unto Bethel, - as Jeroboam was standing by the altar, to make a perfume.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And behold there came a man of God out of Juda, by the word of the Lord, to Bethel, when Jeroboam was standing upon the altar, and burning incense.
Revised Standard Version
And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel. Jerobo'am was standing by the altar to burn incense.
THE MESSAGE
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 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!'" 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."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.

Contextual Overview

1 At the Lord 's command a prophet from Judah went to Bethel and arrived there as Jeroboam stood at the altar to offer the sacrifice. 2 Following the Lord 's command, the prophet denounced the altar: "O altar, altar, this is what the Lord says: A child, whose name will be Josiah, will be born to the family of David. He will slaughter on you the priests serving at the pagan altars who offer sacrifices on you, and he will burn human bones on you." 3 And the prophet went on to say, "This altar will fall apart, and the ashes on it will be scattered. Then you will know that the Lord has spoken through me." 4 When King Jeroboam heard this, he pointed at him and ordered, "Seize that man!" At once the king's arm became paralyzed so that he couldn't pull it back. 5 The altar suddenly fell apart and the ashes spilled to the ground, as the prophet had predicted in the name of the Lord . 6 King Jeroboam said to the prophet, "Please pray for me to the Lord your God, and ask him to heal my arm!" The prophet prayed to the Lord , and the king's arm was healed. 7 Then the king said to the prophet, "Come home with me and have something to eat. I will reward you for what you have done." 8 The prophet answered, "Even if you gave me half of your wealth, I would not go with you or eat or drink anything with you. 9 The Lord has commanded me not to eat or drink a thing, and not to return home the same way I came." 10 So he did not go back the same way he had come, but by another road.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there came: 1 Kings 12:22, 2 Kings 23:17, 2 Chronicles 9:29

by the word: 1 Kings 13:5, 1 Kings 13:9, 1 Kings 13:26, 1 Kings 13:32, 1 Kings 20:35, Jeremiah 25:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:15

Jeroboam: 1 Kings 12:32, 1 Kings 12:33, 2 Chronicles 26:18

burn: or, offer, Numbers 16:40, Jeremiah 11:12, Jeremiah 32:29, Malachi 1:11, Revelation 8:3

Reciprocal: Leviticus 10:1 - put incense Deuteronomy 33:1 - the man Joshua 14:6 - the man 1 Samuel 2:27 - a man 1 Samuel 9:6 - city 2 Samuel 12:1 - the Lord 1 Kings 11:26 - Jeroboam 1 Kings 13:14 - Art thou 1 Kings 13:17 - by the word 1 Kings 17:18 - O thou man 1 Kings 20:28 - there came 2 Kings 2:2 - Bethel 2 Kings 4:9 - man of God 2 Kings 8:7 - General 2 Kings 16:12 - approached 2 Kings 17:11 - burnt 2 Kings 23:16 - burned 2 Kings 23:18 - the bones of the prophet 2 Chronicles 8:14 - so had David the man of God commanded 2 Chronicles 25:7 - a man of God 2 Chronicles 26:16 - to burn Psalms 90:1 - the man Jeremiah 35:4 - a man Hosea 12:10 - have also Amos 7:13 - for 1 Timothy 6:11 - O man 2 Peter 1:21 - in old time

Cross-References

Genesis 13:9
So let's separate. Choose any part of the land you want. You go one way, and I'll go the other."
Genesis 20:1
Abraham moved from Mamre to the southern part of Canaan and lived between Kadesh and Shur. Later, while he was living in Gerar,
Genesis 21:33
Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped the Lord , the Everlasting God.
Joshua 10:40
Joshua conquered the whole land. He defeated the kings of the hill country, the eastern slopes, and the western foothills, as well as those of the dry country in the south. He spared no one; everyone was put to death. This was what the Lord God of Israel had commanded.
Joshua 18:5
The land will be divided among them in seven parts; Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and Joseph in its territory in the north.
1 Samuel 27:10
who would ask him, "Where did you go on a raid this time?" and David would tell him that he had gone to the southern part of Judah or to the territory of the clan of Jerahmeel or to the territory where the Kenites lived.
2 Samuel 24:7
Then they went south to the fortified city of Tyre, on to all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites, and finally to Beersheba, in the southern part of Judah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah,.... Whom Josephus x calls Jadon, perhaps the same with Iddo, who is by the Jewish writers y 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 z 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.

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

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Rather, “in the word of the Lord.” The meaning seems to be, not merely that the prophet was bid to come, but that he came in the strength and power of God’s word, a divinely inspired messenger. (Compare 1 Kings 13:2, 1 Kings 13:5,1 Kings 13:32.)

By the altar - “On the altar;” i, e. on the ledge, or platform, halfway up the altar, whereupon the officiating priest always stood to sacrifice. Compare 1 Kings 12:32 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIII

A man of God prophesies against Jeroboam's altar, and foretells

the destruction of that altar, and of its idolatrous priests by

Josiah; and gives Jeroboam a sign that the prophecy should be

accomplished, 1-3.

Jeroboam is enraged, and orders the man of God to be seized;

and stretching out his hand for this purpose, his arm dries up,

4.

The altar is rent, and the ashes poured out, according to the

sign given by the man of God; and at his intercession

Jeroboam's arm is restored, 5, 6.

Jeroboam wishes to engage him in his service, but he refuses,

and tells him that he was ordered by God not even to eat or

drink in that place; and he accordingly departs, 7-10.

An old prophet that dwelt at Beth-el, hearing of this, rides

after the man of God; deceives him; brings him back to his

house, and persuades him to eat and drink, 11-19.

While he is eating, the word of the Lord comes to the old

prophet, and he foretells the death of the man of God; who

departing is met by a lion, and slain, 20-25.

On hearing this, the old prophet goes to the place, finds the

carcass, brings it home, burns it, and mourns over it, charging

his sons to bury him, when dead, in the same grave, 26-32.

Notwithstanding these warnings, Jeroboam continues in his

idolatry, 33, 34.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII

Verse 1 Kings 13:1. There came a man of God — Who this was we know not. The Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic call him a prophet. The Vulgate and Septuagint follow the Hebrew, איש אלהים ish elohim means a Divine person, one wholly devoted to God's service. Some have thought it was Shemaiah, others Joel, and others Iddo. It could not have been the latter, for he wrote the acts of Jeroboam, 2 Chronicles 9:29, and the prophet was killed before he returned home; but conjecture is idle on such a subject.

Jeroboam stood by the altar — Like gods, like priest; he made himself high priest, and he took of the lowest of the people, and made them priests of the high places; they proved themselves to be fools by worshipping calves.


 
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