1 Kings 13:20

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Kings 13:20 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet that brought him back;” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet that brought him back;
1 Kings 13:20 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Kings 13

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
20And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet that brought him back;

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, etc.] The old prophet, with his sons, and the man of God; the Arabic version adds, “and did eat”, there being a pause in the Hebrew text, as if something was wanting, and to be understood and supplied: that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back; that is, to the old prophet, who was the means of bringing back the man of God; the word did not come to him who had transgressed the command of the Lord, but to him who was the occasion of it; though Abarbinel is of opinion that the word came to the latter, and so some versions, both ancient and modern, render the clause, “to the prophet whom he had brought back” f330 and…”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“13:20-22 Although the old prophet had lied, God communicated through him. The severe pronouncement against the man of God was that because of his disobedience, he would be denied burial in his ancestral tomb. This death sentence was quickly carried out. Disobedience to the clear command of God is a serious offense (Num 14:21-23; Deut 11:26-28).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the word of the Lord: "A great clamour," says Dr. Kennicott, "has been raised against this part of history, on account of God's denouncing sentence on the true prophet by the mouth of the false prophet; but if we examine with attention the original words here, they will be found to signify either he who brought him back, or, whom he had brought back; for the very same words, asher heshivo, occur again, Kg1 13:23, where they are now translated, whom he had brought back; and where they cannot be translated otherwise. This being the case, we are at liberty to consider the words of the Lord as delivered to the true prophet, thus brought back; and then the sentence is pronounced by God himself,…”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“As they were sitting at table the word of the Lord came to the old prophet, so that he cried out to the man of God from Judah: "Because thou hast been rebellious against the command of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment, ... thou wilt not come to the grave of thy fathers," i.e., thou wilt meet with a violent death by the way. This utterance was soon fulfilled. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 13:23”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification