Home› Bible› 1 Kings› Chapter 13

1 Kings 13

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 13 of 22

1 And, behold, a man of God had come from Judah to Beth-el, by the Word of Jehovah, and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.

2 And he cried against the altar, by the Word of Jehovah, and said, Altar! Altar! So says Jehovah, Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, his name Josiah, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who are burning incense on you, and they shall burn the bones of man on you.

3 And on that day he gave a sign, saying, This is the sign that Jehovah has spoken: Behold, the altar is torn, and the ashes that are on it poured out.

Read full chapter in the Bible Reader

Chapter Summary

A prophet is sent to Israel. Jeroboam's hand withers, The prophet prays, his hand is restored. The prophet leaves Bethel. An old prophet, lying to him, brings him back. He is reproved by Jehovah, slain by a lion, buried by the old prophet, the prophey is fulfilled.

Key Hebrew Words

מִזְבֵּחַ altar (at Beth-el) H4196 · TWOT 525b
מוֹפֵת sign, wonder H4159 · TWOT 152a
נָבִיא prophet H5030 · TWOT 1277a
מָרָה rebel, disobey H4784 · TWOT 1242
אַרְיֵה lion H738 · TWOT 158a
נְבֵלָה carcass, corpse H5038 · TWOT 1286a

People & Context

Jeroboam

King standing at the Beth-el altar; his outstretched hand withers, then is restored when the prophet prays

Josiah

Future Davidic king named in the prophecy, who will one day sacrifice the high-place priests on this altar

David

Royal house from which the promised Josiah will be born, per the man of God's cry against the altar

Timeline

Prophecy Against the Altar

A man of God from Judah cries out against Jeroboam's altar in Beth-el, prophesying that a king named Josiah will burn the bones of the priests upon it.

1 Kings 13:1-3
Jeroboam's Hand Withers and is Healed

Jeroboam points at the prophet and his hand withers while the altar splits. Jeroboam begs the prophet to pray, and his hand is restored.

1 Kings 13:4-6
The Prophet Refuses Reward

The man of God refuses to eat or drink with Jeroboam, citing God's command not to eat, drink, or return the same way he came.

1 Kings 13:7-10

Read 1 Kings 13 in the KJ3 Reader

Word-for-word literal translation with Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and audio.

Open in Bible Reader
1 Kings 121 Kings1 Kings 14