1 Kings 13:19 kjv
So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
1 Kings 13:19 nkjv
So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
1 Kings 13:19 niv
So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.
1 Kings 13:19 esv
So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.
1 Kings 13:19 nlt
So they went back together, and the man of God ate and drank at the prophet's home.
1 Kings 13 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 2:16-17 | "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat..." | God's specific prohibition and the consequences of disobedience. |
| Num 20:11-12 | "...he struck the rock twice with his staff... 'Because you did not believe in me... you shall not bring this assembly into the land...' " | Moses' disobedience to a direct command results in a severe consequence. |
| Deut 4:2 | "You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it..." | Emphasizes strict adherence to God's word without alteration. |
| Deut 13:4 | "You shall walk after the Lᴏʀᴅ your God... and obey his voice..." | Stresses the sole and direct obedience owed to God's voice. |
| 1 Sam 15:22-23 | "Has the Lᴏʀᴅ as great delight in burnt offerings... as in obeying the voice of the Lᴏʀᴅ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice..." | Prioritizes obedience above all, contrasting with King Saul's disobedience. |
| Prov 14:12 | "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." | Highlights the danger of relying on human perception or persuasion over truth. |
| Jer 14:14-15 | "...The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them... they are prophesying to you a lying vision..." | Warnings against false prophets and their deceptive messages. |
| Ezek 14:7-10 | "If a prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I the Lᴏʀᴅ have deceived that prophet..." | God's sovereignty over deception and His judgment on deceived prophets. |
| Matt 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | Caution against deceptive individuals who appear harmless. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." | Links love for God with faithful obedience to His commands. |
| Acts 5:29 | "We must obey God rather than men." | Emphasizes obedience to God over human authority or persuasion. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death..." | General principle of consequences for disobedience. |
| Rom 16:17-18 | "...watch out for those who cause divisions... For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites..." | Warning against those who create stumbling blocks through deception. |
| 1 Cor 10:6-7 | "Now these things happened as examples for us... We must not indulge in idolatry..." | Past examples of disobedience serving as warnings for believers. |
| 2 Cor 11:13-15 | "...false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." | Describes the subtle nature of spiritual deception. |
| Gal 1:8 | "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." | Reinforces that divine truth cannot be contradicted even by perceived heavenly messengers. |
| Gal 6:7-8 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | Reiterates the inescapable consequences of one's actions, particularly disobedience. |
| Eph 5:6 | "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." | Warns against being led astray by deceptive words. |
| Heb 3:18-19 | "And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they could not enter because of unbelief." | Links disobedience with unbelief and failure to receive God's promise. |
| Heb 10:26-27 | "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins..." | Grave consequences of intentional, willful disobedience after understanding truth. |
| Jas 1:22 | "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." | Practical admonition to act upon God's word, not merely hear it. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies..." | Further warnings against false prophets and teachers. |
1 Kings 13 verses
1 Kings 13 19 Meaning
1 Kings 13:19 describes the Man of God's decisive act of disobedience. After initially refusing to eat or drink in Bethel based on a direct divine command, he succumbs to the deception of an old prophet and returns with him to partake of food and water in his home. This action is a direct violation of YHWH's explicit instruction, marking the turning point towards his eventual judgment and death.
1 Kings 13 19 Context
1 Kings 13 details a pivotal moment in the religious life of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Jeroboam had established alternative worship sites at Bethel and Dan with golden calves, drawing the people away from true worship in Jerusalem. YHWH sends an unnamed Man of God from Judah to prophesy against Jeroboam's altar at Bethel. The Man of God delivers a powerful message, which is confirmed by signs. Crucially, God gives the Man of God a strict command: he must not eat or drink in Bethel, nor return by the way he came, emphasizing complete separation from Jeroboam's defiled land and false worship.Verse 19 immediately follows the old prophet's elaborate lie that an angel had reversed YHWH's command, inviting the Man of God to eat and drink. This act of accepting the old prophet's deceptive invitation highlights the Man of God's tragic failure to adhere to the explicit word of YHWH, leading directly to his severe judgment. The historical context showcases the precariousness of fidelity to God's word amidst religious innovation and spiritual deception, particularly against the backdrop of a divided kingdom rife with idolatry.
1 Kings 13 19 Word analysis
- So he went back: The Hebrew verb is vayyāšōḇ (וַיָּ֫שָׁב), from the root šūḇ, meaning "to turn back, return." This verb choice emphasizes a decisive reversal of his divine commission and his prior refusal (1 Kgs 13:16-17). He returns from his commanded journey, back towards the very situation he was to avoid, symbolizing a retreat from direct obedience to YHWH.
- with him: The Hebrew 'ittô (אִתּ֖וֹ), "with him," highlights the shared journey and influence. It shows the Man of God aligning himself with the deceiving old prophet, thus transferring his reliance from God's word to a human intermediary. This companionship in disobedience proves fatal.
- and ate bread: The Hebrew wayyo’ḵal leḥem (וַיֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם), "and he ate bread," describes a common, essential act that was specifically prohibited. Bread represents basic sustenance. The very act of taking this forbidden provision signifies a deep spiritual transgression against YHWH's clear, simple instruction.
- in his house: The Hebrew bəḇêṯô (בְּבֵית֖וֹ), "in his house," indicates the private setting where the deception was fully accomplished. The sacred mission from YHWH was abandoned in a place of personal comfort and deceptive hospitality. This setting also implies a breakdown of the boundary God had set.
- and drank water: The Hebrew wayyišeteh māyim (וַיִּ֥שְׁתְּ מָֽיִם), "and he drank water," reiterates the violation. Water, another basic necessity, confirms that the Man of God transgressed both aspects of the explicit command, underscoring the completeness of his disobedience.
- words-group analysis:
- "So he went back with him": This phrase marks the critical turning point where the Man of God, divinely commissioned, veers off course. His initial steadfastness is replaced by a compromising fellowship, indicating a lapse in judgment and reliance on human authority over divine instruction. It highlights the power of deceptive persuasion.
- "and ate bread in his house and drank water": This complete phrase specifies the precise nature of the transgression. It demonstrates that the Man of God fully participated in the very acts God had forbidden him from doing, symbolizing his yielding to temptation and validating the false prophet's words above YHWH's own. It emphasizes the subtle yet profound nature of disobedience even in seemingly small, mundane acts.
1 Kings 13 19 Bonus section
- The Man of God's spiritual downfall begins not with outright rebellion, but with yielding to a nuanced deception from a fellow prophet, suggesting a vulnerability to persuasive spiritual authority that does not originate from YHWH.
- This account underscores the principle that personal experiences and spiritual power (as demonstrated by the Man of God earlier in the chapter) do not negate the requirement for strict obedience to direct divine commands. True faith is proven in adherence to the explicit word.
- The narrative presents a stark contrast between YHWH's clear instruction given directly to His servant and the convoluted, manipulative message delivered by the old prophet claiming angelic revelation. This highlights the importance of anchoring faith solely in the revealed Word of God rather than human interpretations or secondary spiritual claims.
1 Kings 13 19 Commentary
Verse 19 reveals the devastating moment of disobedience for the Man of God. His prior demonstration of unwavering fidelity in the face of Jeroboam's power is tragically undermined by yielding to a deceitful prophetic message. This act, seemingly small—eating and drinking—was a direct contravention of YHWH's precise and personal command. The story teaches that God's explicit word is paramount, and it cannot be set aside, even if presented through seemingly legitimate means (an "angel from heaven") or by an apparently godly person (an "old prophet"). God holds His servants to an uncompromising standard of obedience, as the authority of His word transcends all other claims. This verse serves as a powerful reminder of the subtlety of temptation, the danger of false fellowship, and the absolute necessity of discerning God's true voice from all counterfeits.