Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

1 Kings 13

In the close of the foregoing chapter we left Jeroboam attending his altar at Beth-el, and there we find him in the beginning of this, when he received a testimony from God against his idolatry and apostasy. This was sent to him by a prophet, a man of God that lived in Judah, who is the principal subject of the story of this chapter, where we are told, I. What passed between him and the new king. 1. The prophet threatened Jeroboam’s altar (1 Kings 13:1, 13:2), and gave him a sign (1 Kings 13:3), which immediately came to pass, 1 Kings 13:5. 2. The king threatened the prophet, and was himself made another sign, by the withering of his hand (1 Kings 13:4), and the restoring of it upon his submission and the prophet’s intercession, 1 Kings 13:6. 3. The prophet refused the kindness offered him thereupon, 1 Kings 13:7-13:10. II. What passed between him and the old prophet. 1. The old prophet fetched him back by a lie, and gave him entertainment, 1 Kings 13:11-13:19. 2. He, for accepting it, in disobedience to the divine command, is threatened with death, 1 Kings 13:20-13:22. And, 3. The threatening is executed, for he is slain by a lion (1 Kings 13:23, 13:24), and buried at Beth-el, 1 Kings 13:25-13:32. 4. Jeroboam is hardened in his idolatry, 1 Kings 13:33, 13:34. “Thy judgments, Lord, are a great deep.” MHBCC 305.1