131 Now behold , there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the Lord , while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense . 2 He cried against the altar by the word of the Lord , and said , "O altar , altar , thus says the Lord , 'Behold , a son shall be born to the house of David , Josiah by name ; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.' " 3 Then he gave a sign the same day , saying , " This is the sign which the Lord has spoken , 'Behold , the altar shall be split apart and the ashes which are on it shall be poured out.' " 4 Now when the king heard the saying of the man of God , which he cried against the altar in Bethel , Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar , saying , "Seize him." But his hand which he stretched out against him dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar , according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord . 6 The king said to the man of God , "Please entreat the Lord your God , and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me." So the man of God entreated the Lord , and the king's hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before . 7 Then the king said to the man of God , "Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward ." 8 But the man of God said to the king , " 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 . 9 "For so it was commanded me by the word of the Lord , saying , 'You shall eat no bread , nor drink water , nor return by the way which you came .' " 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way which he came to Bethel .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 13:1-10
Commentary on 1 Kings 13:1-10
(Read 1 Kings 13:1-10)
In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of David would continue, and support true religion, when the ten tribes would not be able to resist them. If God, in justice, harden the hearts of sinners, so that the hand they have stretched out in sin they cannot pull in again by repentance, that is a spiritual judgment, represented by this, and much more dreadful. Jeroboam looked for help, not from his calves, but from God only, from his power, and his favour. The time may come when those that hate the preaching, would be glad of the prayers of faithful ministers. Jeroboam does not desire the prophet to pray that his sin might be pardoned, and his heart changed, but only that his hand might be restored. He seemed affected for the present with both the judgment and the mercy, but the impression wore off. God forbade his messenger to eat or drink in Bethel, to show his detestation of their idolatry and apostacy from God, and to teach us not to have fellowship with the works of darkness. Those have not learned self-denial, who cannot forbear one forbidden meal.