1 Kings 13 30

1 Kings 13:30 kjv

And he laid his carcass in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!

1 Kings 13:30 nkjv

Then he laid the corpse in his own tomb; and they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!"

1 Kings 13:30 niv

Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they mourned over him and said, "Alas, my brother!"

1 Kings 13:30 esv

And he laid the body in his own grave. And they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!"

1 Kings 13:30 nlt

He laid the body in his own grave, crying out in grief, "Oh, my brother!"

1 Kings 13 verses

1 Kings 13 30 Meaning

This verse details the tragic conclusion of the man of God from Judah's journey, recounting how the old prophet buried his corpse in his own grave. It emphasizes the profound grief and lament expressed by the old prophet and his household over the disobedient prophet, highlighting the deep sorrow and personal connection, culminating in the heartfelt cry, "Alas, my brother!" This act of mourning contrasts sharply with the swift divine judgment and underscores the human sorrow intertwined with divine justice.

1 Kings 13 30 Context

1 Kings chapter 13 describes a prophetic encounter in a critical period of Israel's history following the division of the kingdom. King Jeroboam had established idolatrous worship at Bethel and Dan to divert the loyalty of the Northern Kingdom from Jerusalem. A nameless man of God from Judah is sent by the Lord to prophesy against Jeroboam's altar, delivering a precise word of judgment. Crucially, God gives this prophet strict, specific instructions not to eat or drink in Bethel and not to return by the same path, emphasizing the separation and absolute purity required for God's messenger in a pagan land. However, an old prophet from Bethel, seemingly zealous, deceives the man of God, claiming a counter-revelation from an angel that contradicted God's direct command. The man of God, disobeying the Lord's clear instruction in favor of this fabricated message, eats and drinks. As a direct consequence of this disobedience, he is slain by a lion on his return journey. This verse (13:30) depicts the somber aftermath: the very prophet who deceived him takes responsibility for burying him, acknowledging the tragedy and his part in it with heartfelt lament. The broader historical context is Jeroboam's religious apostasy and God's unwavering response to protect His covenant and truth against human corruption, highlighting that even God's own chosen instruments are not exempt from the consequences of direct disobedience to His clear commands.

1 Kings 13 30 Word analysis

• And he laid: (Hebrew: וַיַּשֵּׂם, vayyassam) - This immediate action shows the old prophet taking responsibility for the fallen man of God. The verb "laid" implies a careful placement, indicative of honor despite the tragic circumstances, and perhaps reflecting a degree of remorse or respect.
• his corpse: (Hebrew: נִבְלָתוֹ, nivlātô) - The term nivlāh specifically refers to a carcass or dead body, often that which has been defiled or is left exposed, or a body that is a result of violence or judgment. It vividly conveys the stark, lifeless reality of the prophet's end, emphasizing the complete judgment despite his prophetic calling.
• in his own grave: (Hebrew: בְּקִבְרוֹ, bəqivrô) - The "old prophet's own grave" signifies a deep honor and recognition, a desire for an everlasting association. This gesture might reflect profound guilt, acknowledging his role in the tragic demise, or a conviction of the truth of the slain prophet's word and the divine nature of the judgment. It points towards the old prophet's understanding that God's word had indeed been spoken through the man of God.
• and they mourned over him: (Hebrew: וַיִּסְפְּדוּ עָלָיו, vayyispədû ‘ālāw) - The verb saphaḏ denotes deep, expressive lamentation or wailing, often a formal mourning rite. The "they" includes the old prophet and likely his family, indicating a collective and significant expression of grief. This action portrays genuine human sorrow and stands in poignant contrast to the seemingly harsh divine judgment, revealing that while God's justice is sure, human compassion remains.
• saying: (Hebrew: לֵאמֹר, lē’mōr) - This transitional particle introduces direct speech, making the subsequent lament a recorded, verbatim utterance.
• Alas: (Hebrew: הוֹי, hôy) - An interjection of deep woe, distress, or lament. It expresses intense sorrow and a feeling of irreparable loss, often associated with a prophetic utterance of judgment, but here used for deep personal grief.
• my brother!: (Hebrew: אָחִי, ’āḥî) - A term of endearment and kinship, often extending beyond biological ties to describe a close companion, colleague, or fellow prophet. For the old prophet, calling the man of God "my brother" emphasizes a sense of shared calling, a deeply felt personal connection, and the tragedy of their interaction, perhaps implying regret for his deceptive actions that led to this tragic end.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "And he laid his corpse in his own grave": This phrase highlights the old prophet's remorseful acknowledgment and honor for the deceased. It underscores his profound regret for deceiving the man of God, seeking to rectify his wrong through respectful burial and future companionship in death (as mentioned in subsequent verses).
  • "and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!": This powerfully portrays the emotional gravity of the situation. The collective and intense lament ("mourned over him, saying, Alas!") followed by the intimate address ("my brother!") emphasizes the depth of the tragedy, particularly from the perspective of the old prophet who orchestrated the disobedience, humanizing the severe divine judgment that has just occurred.

1 Kings 13 30 Bonus section

The old prophet's immediate actions, burying the man of God in his own tomb and lamenting, strongly suggest his repentance and full acceptance that the word spoken by the man of God was truly from the Lord. His subsequent declaration in 1 Kings 13:31-32, expressing his wish to be buried alongside the man of God and confirming the validity of his prophecy against the altar at Bethel, further reinforces this shift. This highlights a critical lesson: even when a deceptive action leads to a tragic outcome, repentance and acknowledging the truth are still possible. The severity of the divine judgment for the "disobedient prophet" underlines the extreme holiness and precision required in delivering and obeying God's direct commands. The story implicitly contrasts Jeroboam's continued defiance and disregard for divine warnings with the personal remorse experienced by the old prophet, foreshadowing the ultimate destruction of Jeroboam's idolatrous altars as foretold.

1 Kings 13 30 Commentary

1 Kings 13:30 is the climax of a poignant and cautionary tale. It portrays the immediate human response to a divinely ordained, yet devastating, judgment. The old prophet, the instrument of the younger prophet's disobedience and subsequent death, performs the final, solemn duty of burial. His act of laying the corpse in "his own grave" is profoundly symbolic, indicating not only respect and recognition of the deceased's divine calling but also a powerful acknowledgment of his own complicity and perhaps impending death. The intense mourning and the cry "Alas, my brother!" reveal a mixture of sorrow, guilt, and perhaps even genuine grief over the tragic loss of a fellow servant of God. This passage underscores God's uncompromising standards, especially for His messengers: His commands are absolute, and disobedience, even seemingly minor, has dire consequences. Yet, within this strict divine justice, the human capacity for regret and lament is beautifully present, serving as a reminder that God’s ways, while perfect, often unfold amidst profound human experience. The old prophet’s lament serves as a stark warning to all who handle God’s Word: truth, once revealed, must be adhered to without compromise or deviation, lest one share in the tragic fate of the disobedient prophet.