Study Desk

Then he ^(F1)went up to the altar which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, the month that he had ^(F2)(C1)devised ^(F3)in his own heart; and he ^(F2)instituted a feast for the sons of Israel and ^(F1)went up to the altar ^(C2)to burn ^(F4)incense.

Now behold, ^(C1)a man of God came from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing at the altar ^(C2)to burn incense.

And ^(C1)he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD and said, "Altar, altar, this is what the LORD says: 'Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, ^(C2)Josiah by name; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall burn on you.'"

Then he gave a ^(F1)sign on the same day, saying, "^(C1)This is the ^(F1)sign which the LORD has spoken: 'Behold, the altar shall be torn to pieces and the ^(F2)ashes which are on it shall be poured out.'"

Now when the king heard the statement of the man of God which he cried out against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him!" But his hand which he had stretched out toward him dried up, and he could not draw it back to himself.

The altar also was torn to pieces and the ^(F1)ashes were poured out from the altar, in accordance with the ^(F2)sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

And the king responded and said to the man of God, "Please ^(F1)(C1)appease the LORD your God and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored to me." So ^(C2)the man of God ^(F2)appeased the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before.

Then the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and ^(C1)I will give you a gift."

But the man of God said to the king, "^(C1)If you were to give me half your house, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.

"For so ^(F1)it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall not eat bread nor drink water, nor return by the way that you came.'"

So he went another way and did not return by the way that he had come to Bethel.