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1 Kings 13:3

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Kings 13:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which Jehovah hath spoken: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which Jehovah hath spoken: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
1 Kings 13:3 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Kings 13

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Jehovah unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense.
2And 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.
3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which Jehovah hath spoken: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.
4And it came to pass, when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Beth-el, that Jeroboam 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 draw it back again to him.
5The 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 Jehovah.
6And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Entreat now the favor of Jehovah thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God entreated Jehovah, and the king`s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
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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 he gave a sign the same day, saying, this is the sign which the Lord hath spoken, etc.] As a confirmation of the truth of what the prophet had said, and for the proof of his being a true prophet of the Lord: behold, the altar shall be rent; of itself, by an invisible hand, by the power of God: and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out; signifying it should be entirely demolished, not only shaken but destroyed, so as not to be capable of retaining the ashes on it; this was an emblem of the utter abolition of idolatry here in future times.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“He gave a sign - A sign of this kind - an immediate prophecy to prove the divine character of a remote prophecy - had scarcely been given before this. In the later history, however, such signs are not unfrequent (compare 2 Kings 19:29; Isaiah 7:14-16). The ashes ... shall be poured out - i. e., “The half-burnt remains of the offerings shall be ignominiously spilled upon the ground.” return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Gave a sign - That is, he then wrought a miracle, to assure them of the truth of his prophecy. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 13:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“13:3 In Levitical regulations, ashes from sacrifices at the prescribed altar were to be taken to a clean place (Lev 1:16; 6:10-11). Because Jeroboam’s altar . . . split apart, and its ashes . . . poured out, the altar and its sacrifices were rendered unclean.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Exo 4:3-5, Exo 4:8, Exo 4:9, Exo 7:10; Deu 13:1-3; Sa1 2:34; Kg2 20:8; Isa 7:11-14; Isa 38:6-8, Isa 38:22; Jer 44:29; Mat 12:38-40; Joh 2:18; Co1 1:22 3 Kings (1 Kings) 13:4”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification