1-Kings: Ch. Thirteen. The Prophet from Judah and the False Prophet of Ephraim

The First Book of Kings

The Brit-Am Rose

Symbol of the Brit-Am Movement

The First Book of Kings
Chapter Thirteen
The Prophet from Judah and the False Prophet of Ephraim

Publications
Brit-Am
Discussion Group
Contents by Subject Research
Revelation
Reconciliation

Contribute

Site Map
Contents in Alphabetical Order
This Site

Offerings

1-Kings 13
The Prophet from Judah and the False Prophet of Ephraim

To Hear a Talk based on the Text below:
Chapter Thirteen. The Prophet from Judah and the False Prophet of Ephraim
http://www.britam.org/Broadcasts/newBAMBI/division13.mp3
(ca. 51 minutes)
Talk may include points not mentioned in the text.

[1-Kings 13:1] 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.
The prophet according to tradition was Iddo, cf.
THE VISIONS OF IDDO THE SEER AGAINST JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT [2-Chronicles 9:29].

[1-Kings 13:2] AND HE CRIED AGAINST THE ALTAR IN THE WORD OF THE LORD, AND SAID, O   ALTAR, ALTAR, THUS SAITH THE LORD; BEHOLD, A CHILD SHALL BE BORN UNTO THE HOUSE OF   DAVID, JOSIAH BY NAME; AND UPON THEE SHALL HE OFFER THE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES THAT BURN INCENSE UPON THEE, AND MEN'S BONES SHALL BE BURNT UPON THEE.
Josiah the son of Amon was a king of Judah. He reigned about 300 years later , ca.628-609 BCE according to conventional dating whereas the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat is given as 928-911 BCE. He reigned after the Ten Tribes had been exiled.
King Josiah threw off the yoke of Assyria, destroyed Assyrian idols, took control of the former territories of the northern kingdom of Israel and went through them destroying every vestige of idolatry he came across.
For more on the activities of King Josiah see:
The Completeness of the Exile
http://www.britam.org/CompleteExile.html
See points (3) and (4).
Josiah purified the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, Simeon, "even unto Naphtali" of idolatry.
[2-Chronicles 34:6] AND SO DID HE IN THE CITIES OF MANASSEH, AND EPHRAIM, AND SIMEON, EVEN UNTO NAPHTALI, WITH THEIR MATTOCKS [Hebrew: "BeCharvoteihem" i.e. "IN THEIR RUINS"] ROUND ABOUT.
The words translated above as "WITH THEIR MATTOCKS" in Hebrew is "BeCharvotayhem"which means "IN THEIR RUINS"!
King Josiah went around the RUINED CITIES of Northern Israel and destroyed the remnants of idols he found in them. The verse in Hebrew actually affirms that the cities were in ruins and presumably uninhabited.

[see "Olam HaTanach" Divrei-HaYamim-b p.261).
See also:
"Daat Mikra" (Sefer Diverei HaYamim-b) p.902:
#The matter of the verse as read is "becharvotayhem" in their destroyed cities. This is how the Aramaic translation renders it (Bait Tsadiyut-hon -in their ruins) and so too does Gersonides: Cities that were then in ruins#
n.16 For "charvot" in the sense of deserted cities Psalm 9:6 Ezekiel 36:4.
[Daat Mikra points to the related expression "churba" in Arabic].

[2-Chronicles 34:7] AND WHEN HE HAD BROKEN DOWN THE ALTARS AND THE GROVES, AND HAD BEATEN THE GRAVEN IMAGES INTO POWDER, AND CUT DOWN ALL THE IDOLS THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND OF ISRAEL, HE RETURNED TO JERUSALEM.

[2-Kings 23:15] MOREOVER THE ALTAR THAT WAS AT BETHEL, AND THE HIGH PLACE WHICH JEROBOAM THE SON OF NEBAT, WHO MADE ISRAEL TO SIN, HAD MADE, BOTH THAT ALTAR AND THE HIGH PLACE HE BRAKE DOWN, AND BURNED THE HIGH PLACE, AND STAMPED IT SMALL TO POWDER, AND BURNED THE GROVE.

[2-Kings 23:16] AND AS JOSIAH TURNED HIMSELF, HE SPIED THE SEPULCHRES THAT WERE THERE IN THE MOUNT, AND SENT, AND TOOK THE BONES OUT OF THE SEPULCHRES, AND BURNED THEM UPON THE ALTAR, AND POLLUTED IT, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH THE MAN OF GOD PROCLAIMED, WHO PROCLAIMED THESE WORDS.

[2-Kings 23:17] THEN HE SAID, WHAT TITLE IS THAT THAT I SEE? AND THE MEN OF THE CITY TOLD HIM, IT IS THE SEPULCHRE OF THE MAN OF GOD, WHICH CAME FROM JUDAH, AND PROCLAIMED THESE THINGS THAT THOU HAST DONE AGAINST THE ALTAR OF BETHEL.

[2-Kings 23:18] AND HE SAID, LET HIM ALONE; LET NO MAN MOVE HIS BONES. SO THEY LET HIS BONES ALONE, WITH THE BONES OF THE PROPHET THAT CAME OUT OF SAMARIA.

[2-Kings 23:19] AND ALL THE HOUSES ALSO OF THE HIGH PLACES THAT WERE IN THE CITIES OF SAMARIA, WHICH THE KINGS OF ISRAEL HAD MADE TO PROVOKE THE LORD TO ANGER, JOSIAH TOOK AWAY, AND DID TO THEM ACCORDING TO ALL THE ACTS THAT HE HAD DONE IN BETHEL.

[2-Kings 23:20] AND HE SLEW ALL THE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES THAT WERE THERE UPON THE ALTARS, AND BURNED MEN'S BONES UPON THEM, AND RETURNED TO JERUSALEM.

The "priests" killed by Josiah were non-Israelite Samaritans who the Assyrians had settled in the area and who took up some of the practices (pagan and otherwise) of the departed Israelites see 2-kings ch.18 (see "Olam Ha-Tanach" Malacim-b p.202).

The Bible 2-Kings 17:24-27 tells us how the King of Assyria brought in non-Israelite colonists to take the place of the exiled Israelites.
These Gentiles were pagans and God sent herds of lions to afflict them. The King of Assyria was advised that the new settlers needed to honor the "God of the Land". One (or more, tradition says there were at least two of them) of the exiled Israelite priests was therefore sent to teach them how to act.

[2-Kings 17:27] THEN THE KING OF ASSYRIA COMMANDED, SAYING, CARRY THITHER ONE OF THE PRIESTS WHOM YE BROUGHT FROM THENCE; AND LET THEM GO AND DWELL THERE, AND LET HIM TEACH THEM THE MANNER OF THE GOD OF THE LAND.

[2-Kings 17:28] THEN ONE OF THE PRIESTS WHOM THEY HAD CARRIED AWAY FROM SAMARIA   CAME AND DWELT IN BETHEL, AND TAUGHT THEM HOW THEY SHOULD FEAR THE LORD.

This priest and his family would have taught them the mixed Hebraic-Canaanite practices instituted by Jeroboam that had resulted in the Israelites being exiled. In addition the new settlers (referred to as "Samaritans") continued to maintain their pagan customs only added the new "Hebraic" ones onto them (2-Kings 17:19-41).
It was the descendants of these priests whom Josiah was to kill.

Incidentally Josiah also took action against homosexuals:
[2-Kings 23:7] AND HE BRAKE DOWN THE HOUSES OF THE SODOMITES, THAT WERE BY THE HOUSE OF THE LORD, WHERE THE WOMEN WOVE HANGINGS FOR THE GROVE.

Josiah also attempted to bring some of the Israelites back and small colonies of Scythians were established in the north but were abandoned after the death of Josiah.
See our discussion on this matter in "The Tribes".
http://britam.org/the-Tribes.html

[1-Kings 13:3] AND HE GAVE A SIGN THE SAME DAY, SAYING, THIS IS THE SIGN WHICH THE LORD HATH SPOKEN; BEHOLD, THE ALTAR SHALL BE RENT, AND THE ASHES THAT ARE UPON IT SHALL BE POURED OUT.

[1-Kings 13:4] AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN KING JEROBOAM HEARD THE SAYING OF THE MAN OF GOD, WHICH HAD CRIED AGAINST THE ALTAR IN BETHEL, THAT HE PUT FORTH HIS HAND FROM THE ALTAR, SAYING, LAY HOLD ON HIM. AND HIS HAND, WHICH HE PUT FORTH AGAINST HIM, DRIED UP, SO THAT HE COULD NOT PULL IT IN AGAIN TO HIM.

The vitality of his hand stopped still as if dried up and he could not move it.

[1-Kings 13:5] THE ALTAR ALSO WAS RENT, AND THE ASHES POURED OUT FROM THE ALTAR, ACCORDING TO THE SIGN WHICH THE MAN OF GOD HAD GIVEN BY THE WORD OF THE LORD.

On the spot the altar split apart and the ashes that were on it were spolled out.

[1-Kings 13:6] AND THE KING ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THE MAN OF GOD, INTREAT NOW THE FACE OF THE LORD THY GOD, AND PRAY FOR ME, THAT MY HAND MAY BE RESTORED ME   AGAIN. AND THE MAN OF GOD BESOUGHT THE LORD, AND THE KING'S HAND WAS RESTORED HIM AGAIN, AND BECAME AS IT WAS BEFORE.

Jeroboam recognized that the Almighty had caused his hand to stop dead. He swallowed his pride and asked the prophet to pray for him.

[1-Kings 13:7] AND THE KING SAID UNTO THE MAN OF GOD, COME HOME WITH ME, AND REFRESH THYSELF, AND I WILL GIVE THEE A REWARD.

[1-Kings 13:8] AND THE MAN OF GOD SAID UNTO THE KING, IF THOU WILT GIVE ME HALF THINE HOUSE, I WILL NOT GO IN WITH THEE, NEITHER WILL I EAT BREAD NOR DRINK WATER IN THIS PLACE:

[1-Kings 13:9] FOR SO WAS IT CHARGED ME BY THE WORD OF THE LORD, SAYING, EAT NO BREAD, NOR DRINK WATER, NOR TURN AGAIN BY THE SAME WAY THAT THOU CAMEST.

[1-Kings 13:10] SO HE WENT ANOTHER WAY, AND RETURNED NOT BY THE WAY THAT HE CAME TO BETHEL.

[1-Kings 13:11] NOW THERE DWELT AN OLD PROPHET IN BETHEL; AND HIS SONS CAME AND TOLD HIM ALL THE WORKS THAT THE MAN OF GOD HAD DONE THAT DAY IN BETHEL: THE WORDS WHICH HE HAD SPOKEN UNTO THE KING, THEM THEY TOLD ALSO TO THEIR FATHER.

[1-Kings 13:12] AND THEIR FATHER SAID UNTO THEM, WHAT WAY WENT HE? FOR HIS SONS HAD SEEN WHAT WAY THE MAN OF GOD WENT, WHICH CAME FROM JUDAH.

[1-Kings 13:13] AND HE SAID UNTO HIS SONS, SADDLE ME THE ASS. SO THEY SADDLED HIM THE ASS: AND HE RODE THEREON,

[1-Kings 13:14] AND WENT AFTER THE MAN OF GOD, AND FOUND HIM SITTING UNDER AN OAK: AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, ART THOU THE MAN OF GOD THAT CAMEST FROM JUDAH? AND HE SAID, I AM.

[1-Kings 13:15] THEN HE SAID UNTO HIM, COME HOME WITH ME, AND EAT BREAD.

[1-Kings 13:16] AND HE SAID, I MAY NOT RETURN WITH THEE, NOR GO IN WITH THEE: NEITHER WILL I EAT BREAD NOR DRINK WATER WITH THEE IN THIS PLACE:

[1-Kings 13:17] FOR IT WAS SAID TO ME BY THE WORD OF THE LORD, THOU SHALT EAT NO BREAD NOR DRINK WATER THERE, NOR TURN AGAIN TO GO BY THE WAY THAT THOU CAMEST.

[1-Kings 13:18] HE SAID UNTO HIM, I AM A PROPHET ALSO AS THOU ART; AND AN ANGEL SPAKE 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.

He may not have really been a Prophet as he claimed but he must have been at a sufficiently high level to make the necessary initial impression and mislead the real Prophet.

[1-Kings 13:19] SO HE WENT BACK WITH HIM, AND DID EAT BREAD IN HIS HOUSE, AND DRANK WATER.

[1-Kings 13:20] AND IT CAME TO PASS, AS THEY SAT AT THE TABLE, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO THE PROPHET THAT BROUGHT HIM BACK:

[1-Kings 13:21] AND HE CRIED UNTO THE MAN OF GOD THAT 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,

[1-Kings 13:22] BUT CAMEST BACK, AND HAST EATEN BREAD AND DRUNK WATER IN THE PLACE, OF THE WHICH THE LORD DID SAY TO THEE, EAT NO BREAD, AND DRINK NO WATER; THY CARCASE SHALL NOT COME UNTO THE SEPULCHRE OF THY FATHERS.

[1-Kings 13:23] 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.

[1-Kings 13:24] AND WHEN HE WAS GONE, A LION MET HIM BY THE WAY, AND SLEW HIM: AND HIS CARCASE WAS CAST IN THE WAY, AND THE ASS STOOD BY IT, THE LION ALSO STOOD BY THE CARCASE.

[1-Kings 13:25] AND, BEHOLD, MEN PASSED BY, AND SAW THE CARCASE CAST IN THE WAY, AND THE LION STANDING BY THE CARCASE: AND THEY CAME AND TOLD IT IN THE CITY WHERE THE OLD PROPHET DWELT.

[1-Kings 13:26] AND WHEN THE PROPHET THAT 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 SPAKE UNTO HIM.

[1-Kings 13:27] AND HE SPAKE TO HIS SONS, SAYING, SADDLE ME THE ASS. AND THEY SADDLED HIM.

[1-Kings 13:28] AND HE WENT AND FOUND HIS CARCASE CAST IN THE WAY, AND THE ASS AND THE LION STANDING BY THE CARCASE: THE LION HAD NOT EATEN THE CARCASE, NOR TORN THE ASS.

[1-Kings 13:29] AND THE PROPHET TOOK UP THE CARCASE OF THE MAN OF GOD, AND LAID IT UPON THE ASS, AND BROUGHT IT BACK: AND THE OLD PROPHET CAME TO THE CITY, TO MOURN AND TO BURY HIM.

[1-Kings 13:30] AND HE LAID HIS CARCASE IN HIS OWN GRAVE; AND THEY MOURNED OVER HIM, SAYING, ALAS, MY BROTHER!

This whole incident is very strange. Opinions are divided as to what exactly happened.  It appears that the so-called Prophet from Samaria was not a real Prophet but rather Pretender though of a higher level. He wanted to bring about the downfall of the true prophet and he succeeded. In a sense he was also defending the honor the northern kingdom, of Ephraim. He wanted to show that even the greatest of Judah could be mislead in the same way the men of northern Israel had been. He was sorry that he had been proven correct.

If God tells us something we cannot believe the message of any human being that the message has been annulled!
Ephraim should be warned:
Do not try to make Judah as yourselves!
This is liable to destroy Judah and cause you only regret.

[1-Kings 13:31] AND IT CAME TO PASS, AFTER HE HAD BURIED HIM, THAT HE SPAKE TO HIS SONS, SAYING, WHEN I AM DEAD, THEN BURY ME IN THE SEPULCHRE WHEREIN THE MAN OF GOD IS BURIED; LAY MY BONES BESIDE HIS BONES:

[1-Kings 13:32] FOR THE SAYING WHICH HE CRIED BY THE WORD OF THE LORD AGAINST THE ALTAR IN BETHEL, AND AGAINST ALL THE HOUSES OF THE HIGH PLACES WHICH ARE IN THE CITIES OF SAMARIA, SHALL SURELY COME TO PASS.

Indeed in the time of Josiah all the altars and places of worship in the ruined and abandoned cities of Samaria were destroyed.

[1-Kings 13:33] AFTER THIS THING JEROBOAM RETURNED NOT FROM HIS EVIL WAY, BUT MADE AGAIN OF THE LOWEST OF THE PEOPLE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES: WHOSOEVER WOULD, HE CONSECRATED HIM, AND HE BECAME ONE OF THE PRIESTS OF THE HIGH PLACES.
#MADE AGAIN#. Daat Mikra points out that this expression may indicate that after the incident there was a period in which Jeroboam ceased the idolatrous path he had embarked upon only to go back to it later.

THE LOWEST OF THE PEOPLE. See our commentary to [1-Kings 12:31] where we explained that "Miktsot" translated as #THE LOWEST# could alternatively mean the better or more elevated section. In Hebrew the word "Katsin" (from the same root, katseh, as "Miktsot") means officer. The fact that Jeroboam himself was one of the people in question could help strengthen this understanding.

[1-Kings 13:34] AND THIS THING BECAME SIN UNTO THE HOUSE OF JEROBOAM, EVEN TO CUT IT OFF, AND TO DESTROY IT FROM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 102;a) roughly paraphrased says:
##Rabbi Abba said:
God grabbed hold of the shirt of Jeroboam and said,
'Repent, and you and I and the Son of Jesse will stroll together in the Garden of Eden!' Said Jeroboam: Which of us will have precedence?
God answered: The son of Jesse!
Jeroboam replied: if such is the case I am not interested!

The Bible and all other sources indicate that Jeroboam was a great man with a great potential but he chose the wrong path.

Jeroboam could if he so wished have retained his position or something close to it and still have gone in the right way along the pathway of the Torah.

In the future a leader will arise from the seed of Joseph (and according to some source a descendants of Jeroboam himself) who is referred to as the Messiah son of Joseph. He will lead the Ten Tribes back and enable their reconciliation with Judah and all Israel will then be ruled over by the Messiah son of David.

For a list of articles concerning the Messiah son of Joseph see:
http://www.britam.org/ContentsSubject.html#Messiah

After the Death of Solomon:
The Divided Kingdom

Source of Map:
www.ebibleteacher.com/imagehtml/otmaps.html

1-Kings ch.12 1-Kings Contents
1-Kings ch.14