1 Kings 13:31 kjv
And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:
1 Kings 13:31 nkjv
So it was, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, "When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.
1 Kings 13:31 niv
After burying him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.
1 Kings 13:31 esv
And after he had buried him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.
1 Kings 13:31 nlt
Afterward the prophet said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones.
1 Kings 13 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 23:17-18 | Then he said, “What monument is this that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.” ... So they left his bones undisturbed, with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. | The direct fulfillment of the old prophet's request to be buried with the man of God. The graves were spared during Josiah's purge. |
| Gen 49:29-31 | Then he commanded them and said to them, “I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah... there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.” | Importance of burial place, desire to be buried with ancestors or revered figures. |
| Gen 50:25 | Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” | Significance of "bones" as representing the person and their legacy, desiring a specific resting place. |
| Exod 13:19 | Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for Joseph had made the sons of Israel solemnly swear, saying, “God will surely take notice of you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.” | Illustrates the great care and honor given to the physical remains of revered figures. |
| Isa 55:11 | so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. | The powerful, infallible nature of God's spoken word, which the old prophet now implicitly affirms. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? | Reinforces the reliability of God's word, contrasting with the old prophet's lie. |
| Deut 18:20 | But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. | The severe consequences of a false prophecy, which the old prophet unknowingly skirted for himself. |
| Jer 14:14 | And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them, nor have I commanded them, nor have I spoken to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own mind." | Warning against those who speak lies in the name of the Lord, a stark contrast to the truth spoken by the man of God. |
| Jer 23:16 | Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you; they lead you astray. They speak a vision of their own heart, and not from the mouth of the Lord." | Reinforces the danger of heeding prophets who do not speak God's true word. |
| Ezek 37:11-14 | Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people." | "Bones" can symbolize more than mere physical remains, but the essence of a people or the hope for future restoration. |
| Matt 23:29-36 | “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous... so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah..." | Shows an outward veneration of past prophets, similar to the old prophet's desire for association. |
| Luke 15:17-18 | “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you..."' | Illustrates recognition of sin and desire to change course, perhaps reflecting the old prophet's late insight. |
| Psa 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. | While not explicitly stated, the old prophet's request suggests a recognition of truth, akin to contrition. |
| Rom 1:32 | Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. | Contrast to the old prophet, who recognized the truth and sought to dissociate from future condemnation by aligning with the man of God. |
| Phil 3:10-11 | that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. | Desire for identification with the righteous, even in death. |
| 1 Kings 13:1 | And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel... | Reaffirms the man of God's true divine commission, recognized by the old prophet in verse 31. |
| 1 Kings 13:2-3 | And 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 he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’” | The powerful and true prophecy that so impressed the old prophet, compelling his request. |
| 1 Kings 13:26 | And when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke to him.” | Shows the old prophet already recognized the authenticity and authority of the Word that disciplined the man of God. |
| Heb 11:13 | These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. | Those who live by faith identify with God's purposes, which can extend beyond their lifetime. |
| Job 19:26 | And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God. | An ancient sense of personal continuity even beyond death and physical dissolution, adding gravity to the care for bones. |
| Amos 3:7 | For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. | Underscores the critical role of prophets as conveyors of divine truth, which the old prophet eventually honored. |
1 Kings 13 verses
1 Kings 13 31 Meaning
1 Kings 13:31 reveals the deep conviction and perhaps profound remorse of the old prophet in Bethel after he had been instrumental in the death of the man of God from Judah. His earnest instruction to his sons to bury him alongside the man of God's bones signifies his belated recognition of the man of God's authentic prophetic authority and the undeniable truth of the divine word spoken through him regarding the altar at Bethel. It demonstrates a desire to associate himself with God's true prophet and his validated message, perhaps hoping for a shared fate or protection from the judgment predicted for the apostate sanctuary.
1 Kings 13 31 Context
Chapter 13 of 1 Kings narrates a crucial episode highlighting the absolute necessity of obedience to God's precise commands, especially for those called to minister His word. Jeroboam had established idolatrous worship at Bethel, appointing non-Levitical priests and initiating alternative feasts, a blatant affront to the Mosaic covenant. In response, an anonymous "man of God" from Judah is sent by divine commission to Bethel to pronounce judgment on Jeroboam's altar and system of worship. He performs a miraculous sign confirming his message and explicitly receives a strict prohibition from God: he is not to eat bread or drink water, nor return by the way he came. After fulfilling his prophetic task, an old prophet residing in Bethel deceives the man of God with a lie, claiming an angel delivered a contradictory message. The man of God, weary and hungry, falls for the deception and disobeys God's initial clear instruction, resulting in his death by a lion, a direct consequence of his disobedience. The old prophet finds his body, buries him with full mourning rites, and then utters the instruction in 1 Kings 13:31, expressing his desire to be interred beside the very man he led astray, demonstrating his conviction in the ultimate truth of the man of God's prophecy and the severity of God's word. This chapter emphasizes divine truth and the grave consequences of disregard, even when a "prophet" is involved in the deception.
1 Kings 13 31 Word analysis
- After he had buried him (וַיִּקְבְּרֵהוּ וַיֹּאמֶר - wayyiqberehu wayyomer): The action of burial was a solemn and honorable duty in ancient Israel, often reflecting deep respect or connection to the deceased. The old prophet personally performed this rite for the man of God, indicating profound conviction, grief, or perhaps even an attempt at atonement. The consecutive actions (burial, then speaking) show immediate reflection and decision.
- he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - wayyomer): A direct pronouncement, conveying a command or a firm statement. This wasn't a casual thought but a directive to his sons.
- to his sons (אֶל־בָּנָיו - ʾel-banaw): His heirs and those responsible for his burial, emphasizing the seriousness and legal/familial weight of his request. It suggests an earnest final wish.
- 'When I die (בְּמוֹתִי - bemōthiy): Anticipating his own end, demonstrating that this request was for his final resting place and destiny.
- bury me (קִבְרוּנִי - qibruwniy): An imperative command. The specific request highlights the importance of the physical proximity in death.
- beside the bones (אֵצֶל עַצְמוֹת - 'etzel 'atzmowth): Emphasizes physical proximity and enduring connection even in death. "Bones" are symbolic of the complete person or their lasting presence.
- of the man of God (אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים - 'ish ha'elohim): This title, "man of God," denotes a divinely appointed servant, a prophet empowered and sent by the Almighty. The old prophet consistently uses this respectful and reverent term, confirming his recognition of the man of God's genuine authority, despite the old prophet's own deceit. It signifies a public acknowledgement of divine commission.
- lay my bones beside his bones (וְהַנִּיחוּ עַצְמוֹתַי אֵצֶל עַצְמוֹתָיו - wehaniykhu 'atzmotay 'etzel 'atzmotav): A strong repetition for emphasis, underscoring his fervent desire for posthumous association. This double affirmation conveys solemnity and conviction. It speaks of a deep spiritual identification or a desire for future protection through association with the true prophet and his prophetic word that stood vindicated.
1 Kings 13 31 Bonus section
The seemingly contradictory character of the old prophet – a liar who then acknowledges divine truth – serves as a complex reminder that recognition of God's word does not automatically equate to perfect obedience or complete personal integrity. His deep conviction about the truth of the man of God's prophecy, solidified by the lion's judgment, ultimately became the prevailing factor guiding his post-mortem wish. This chapter underscores the absolute faithfulness of God to His spoken word, whether in judgment or blessing, and the enduring authority of true prophecy, even amidst human failure and deception. The burial location served as a tangible and permanent witness to the authority of God's message against idolatry in Bethel.
1 Kings 13 31 Commentary
1 Kings 13:31 provides a striking insight into the spiritual awakening of the old prophet of Bethel. Despite having used a deceptive message to lead the man of God from Judah astray, resulting in the latter's death, the old prophet demonstrates a profound acknowledgment of the man of God's divine authenticity. His instruction to his sons is not merely a request but a solemn command to be interred precisely next to the prophet he harmed. This act indicates a strong conviction regarding the ultimate truth of the man of God's prophecy against Jeroboam's altar. The old prophet recognizes that the word spoken by the man of God carried the very authority of the Lord, validated both by the divine sign and by the swift judgment that fell upon the disobedient prophet. By desiring to share the grave with him, the old prophet implicitly renounces the apostate worship of Bethel and publicly, though posthumously, aligns himself with true Yahwism. His motivation may have encompassed a mixture of genuine remorse, a desperate hope for personal vindication, or even a shrewd anticipation that association with the true prophet would spare his own remains during the future judgment foretold. This wish was indeed honored centuries later by King Josiah (2 Kings 23:17-18), showing God's recognition of the old prophet's implicit affirmation of the divine word.