Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

1 Kings 13:2

in 1 Kings 13

And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he cried against the altar by the word of Jehovah, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith Jehovah: Behold, a son shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall they burn upon thee.

KJV

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.

⋯

This verse in 1 Kings 13

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

He cried against the altar - He denounced the destruction of this idolatrous system. A child shall be born - Josiah by name - This is one of the most remarkable and most singular prophecies in the Old Testament. It here most circumstantially foretells a fact which took place three hundred and forty years after the prediction; a fact which was attested by the two nations.

This site's exposition

there came a man of God out of Judah

on 1 Kings 13:1-2

The man of God comes from Judah under no name the text gives him, and he speaks against Jeroboam's new altar three centuries before the reform it describes. He names the king who will do it, Josiah, one of only two figures in the Old Testament named in prophecy before birth, the other being Cyrus at Isa 44:28. The altar built to rival Jerusalem hears its own end pronounced at its dedication.

This site's exposition

A son named Josiah will be born

Matthew Henry notes the reversal: the priests who burn incense on this altar will themselves be burned on it. Adam Clarke counts about three hundred and forty years to the fulfillment. Josiah does it at 2 Kings 23:15 and 16.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

That the altar he now consecrated should be desecrated. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. That the priests of the high places he now made should themselves be made sacrifices to the justice of God, and the first and only sacrifices upon this altar that would be pleasing to him.

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

How bold was the man, that durst attack the king in his pride, and interrupt the solemnity he was proud of? Whoever is sent on God's errand, must not fear the faces of men. It was above three hundred and fifty years ere this prophecy was fulfilled.
And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord,....

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

That moment the king's arm became stiff and motionless, and the altar split asunder, so that the fire and ashes fell on the floor. Overawed by the effects of his impiety, Jeroboam besought the prophet's prayer. His request was acceded to, and the hand was restored to its healthy state.
A child shall be born ... Josiah by name - Divine predictions so seldom descend to such particularity as this, that doubts are entertained, even by orthodox theologians, with respect to the actual mention of Josiah’s name by a prophet living in the time of Jeroboam. Only one other instance that can be considered parallel occurs in the whole of Scripture - the mention of Cyrus by Isaiah. Of course no one who believes in the divine foreknowledge can doubt that God could, if He chose, cause events to be foretold minutely by his prophets; but certainly the general law of his Providence is, that He does not do so. If this law is to be at any time broken through, it will not be capriciously. Here it certainly does not appear what great effect was to be produced by the mention of Josiah’s name so long before his birth; and hence, a doubt arises whether we have in our present copies the true original text. The sense is complete without the words “Josiah by name;” and these words, if originally a marginal note, may easily have crept into the text by the mistake of a copyist. It is remarkable that, where this narrative is again referred to in Kings (marginal reference), there is no allusion to the fact that the man of God had prophesied of Josiah “by name.”

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

Altar, altar. [The one] in Beis Eil and [the one] in Dan. 2 Alternatively, it is common to use repetition when summoning, i.e., “Avrohom, Avrohom [Bereishis:1],” etc.—Radak
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on I Kings 13:2:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

29 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּקְרָ֤אand he called out

    vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙the altar

    hamizbeachH4196 →401 times

  • בִּדְבַ֣רby [the] word of

    bidvarH1697 →1440 times

  • יְהוָ֔הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • מִזְבֵּ֣חַO altar

    mizbeachH4196 →401 times

  • מִזְבֵּ֔חַaltar

    mizbeachH4196 →401 times

  • כֹּ֖הthus

    kohH3541 →577 times

  • אָמַ֣רhe says

    ʾamarH559 →5305 times

  • יְהוָ֑הYahweh

    yahwehH3068 →6520 times

  • הִנֵּֽה־here!

    hineh-H2009 →843 times

  • בֵ֞ןa son

    venH1121 →4930 times

  • נוֹלָ֤ד[is] about to be born

    noladH3205 →496 times

  • לְבֵית־to [the] house of

    leveit-H1004 →2046 times

  • דָּוִד֙David

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ[will be] Josiah

    yoshiyahuH2977 →

  • שְׁמ֔וֹname his

    shemoH8034 →864 times

  • וְזָבַ֣חand he will sacrifice

    vezavachH2076 →134 times

  • עָלֶ֗יךָon you

    ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • כֹּהֲנֵ֤י[the] priests of

    kohaneiH3548 →750 times

  • הַבָּמוֹת֙the high places

    habamotH1116 →102 times

  • הַמַּקְטִרִ֣יםwho make smoke

    hamaktirimH6999 →116 times

  • עָלֶ֔יךָon you

    ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times

  • וְעַצְמ֥וֹתand bones of

    veatzmotH6106 →126 times

  • אָדָ֖םhumankind

    ʾadamH120 →551 times

  • יִשְׂרְפ֥וּpeople will burn

    yisrefuH8313 →117 times

  • עָלֶֽיךָ׃on you

    ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Ezekiel 37:4And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!13 works2 Chronicles 34:5Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.5 works1 Kings 13:32for the message that he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria will surely come to pass.”5 worksEzekiel 36:1“And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD.4 works2 Kings 23:15–18He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole.4 works2 Kings 22:1–2Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah; she was from Bozkath.3 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Jeremiah 22:29O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!3 worksEcclesiastes 3:2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,3 works2 Kings 23:20On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.3 worksHosea 10:8The high places of Aven will be destroyed—it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”3 worksIsaiah 58:1“Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins.2 works2 Chronicles 34:1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years.2 worksLuke 19:40“I tell you,” He answered, “if they remain silent, the very stones will cry out.”2 worksDeuteronomy 32:1Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.2 worksEzekiel 38:4I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws, and bring you out with all your army—your horses, your horsemen in full armor, and a great company armed with shields and bucklers, all brandishing their swords.2 worksIsaiah 46:10I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’2 works2 Chronicles 34:4–7Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.2 worksIsaiah 42:9Behold, the former things have happened, and now I declare new things. Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you.”2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Isaiah 58:1

    “Cry aloud, do not hold back! Raise your voice like a ram’s horn. Declare to My people their transgression and to the house of Jacob their sins.

    it leads to

    • Titus 2:15

      Speak these things as you encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you.

    • Hosea 8:1

      Put the ram’s horn to your lips! An eagle looms over the house of the LORD, because the people have transgressed My covenant and rebelled against My law.

    • Acts 20:26–27

      Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.

    • Acts 7:51–52

      You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.

    • Ezekiel 3:17–21

      “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 22:29

    O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!

    it leads to

    • Deuteronomy 32:1

      Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.

    • Micah 1:2

      Hear, O peoples, all of you; listen, O earth, and everyone in it! May the Lord GOD bear witness against you, the Lord from His holy temple.

    • Jeremiah 6:19

      Hear, O earth! I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their own schemes, because they have paid no attention to My word and have rejected My instruction.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Kings

The Disobedient Prophet Is Slain by a Lion — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
The Disobedient Prophet Is Slain by a Lion — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
1 Kings: the study guide →Read 1 Kings 13 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Kings 13 →