1 Kings 13 32

1 Kings 13:32 kjv

For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

1 Kings 13:32 nkjv

For the saying which he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass."

1 Kings 13:32 niv

For the message he declared by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true."

1 Kings 13:32 esv

For the saying that he called out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria shall surely come to pass."

1 Kings 13:32 nlt

For the message the LORD told him to proclaim against the altar in Bethel and against the pagan shrines in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true."

1 Kings 13 verses

1 Kings 13 32 Meaning

The verse functions as the old prophet's solemn affirmation of the earlier prophecy delivered by the man of God from Judah (1 Ki 13:2). It explicitly states that this divine pronouncement, which foretold the destruction and defilement of the altar in Bethel and all other high places in the territory that would later be known as Samaria, would "surely come to pass." This declaration emphasizes the prophecy's certain fulfillment due to its origin as "the word of the Lord," confirming divine judgment against Jeroboam's apostasy.

1 Kings 13 32 Context

• Verse Context: This verse is spoken by the old prophet of Bethel to his sons immediately after the death of the man of God from Judah (1 Ki 13:26). The old prophet is deeply affected by the true prophet's demise, particularly because it occurred due to the man of God's disobedience to God's direct command (though by the old prophet's own deceit). Here, he reiterates the divine authority and undeniable certainty of the man of God's prophecy against the altar and high places, using it as a reason for wanting his own bones laid beside the true prophet (1 Ki 13:31) – a hope, perhaps, that he might escape the judgment he himself knows is coming.
• Chapter Context: Chapter 13 introduces the divine condemnation of Jeroboam's newly established cult at Bethel, designed to divert loyalty from the Jerusalem temple. A man of God from Judah is sent to proclaim a precise prophecy against the Bethel altar, demonstrating God's sovereign disapproval. The prophecy immediately leads to miraculous signs, but the man of God himself later disobeys a separate divine command, leading to his death. This narrative contrast underscores both God's unwavering commitment to His prophetic word and the strict requirement for obedience from His messengers. Jeroboam, despite the clear divine warning and signs, remains unrepentant, solidifying the Northern Kingdom's trajectory of idolatry, ensuring the prophecy's future fulfillment.
• Historical Context: After the division of Solomon's kingdom, Jeroboam I, king of Israel (the Northern Kingdom), fearing that regular pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem would cause his people to return their allegiance to Rehoboam and the house of David, instituted alternative worship centers in Bethel and Dan. These centers featured golden calves, non-Levitical priests, and non-prescribed festivals, all in violation of Mosaic law. This represented a severe spiritual decline. The prophecy here, spoken centuries before its fulfillment by King Josiah, stands as a testament to God's long-suffering and ultimate justice against widespread religious apostasy that developed in the northern kingdom. The mention of "Samaria" is noteworthy as a future place-name, showing God's foresight concerning the future capital of the Northern Kingdom, thus expanding the prophecy's reach to all the future sites of their unfaithfulness.

1 Kings 13 32 Word analysis

• For: (כִּי, ki) - This conjunction serves to explain or introduce the reason for the preceding action, in this case, the old prophet's instruction for his burial with the man of God. It grounds his actions in the certainty of the divine prophecy.

• the saying: (הַדָּבָר, ha-davar) - Referring to the specific prophetic utterance spoken by the man of God in 1 Ki 13:2, "Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee." Davar encompasses a wide range of meanings: word, utterance, message, matter, or event. Here it highlights the weighty and divinely significant message.

• which he cried: (אֲשֶׁר קָרָא, asher qara) - "He" denotes the man of God from Judah, highlighting his role as the instrument of the prophecy. Qara signifies to call out, proclaim, or cry aloud, indicating a public and authoritative declaration rather than a private thought.

• by the word of the Lord: (בְּדְבַר יְהוָה, be-devar Yahweh) - This crucial phrase establishes the divine origin and ultimate authority of the prophecy. It is not merely a human prediction but a direct revelation from YHWH, the covenant God of Israel. This guarantees its truthfulness and inevitable accomplishment, making it infallible.

• against the altar in Bethel: (עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ בֵּית אֵל, 'al ha-mizbeach Beit-El) - "Altar" (mizbeach) points specifically to the altar established by Jeroboam for his golden calf worship at Bethel (1 Ki 12:28-33). "Bethel" (Beit-El, meaning "House of God") became a deeply ironic name for a site that morphed from Jacob's spiritual encounter (Gen 28) into a central hub for state-sponsored idolatry. This specifies the immediate, most prominent target of God's wrath.

• and against all the houses of the high places: (וְעַל כָּל בָּתֵּי הַבָּמוֹת, ve-'al kol battei ha-bamot) - This expands the scope of judgment. "Houses of the high places" (battei ha-bamot) refers to other unauthorized altars and shrines built on elevated locations (Lev 26:30). These were prevalent throughout the land and often involved syncretistic worship, demonstrating God's comprehensive condemnation of all illegitimate worship practices in Israel.

• which are in the cities of Samaria: (אֲשֶׁר בְּעָרֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן, asher be-'arei Shomron) - This is a striking example of prophetic foresight. Samaria was not yet built when Jeroboam reigned; it would become the capital of the Northern Kingdom under King Omri (1 Ki 16:24) many decades later. The mention here signifies God's complete knowledge of future historical developments and extends the judgment beyond specific current sites to the entire future heartland of Israel's idolatry.

• shall surely come to pass: (הָיֹה יִהְיֶה, hayo yiheyeh) - This is a strong Hebrew idiom formed by the infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect tense of the verb "to be" (hayah). It conveys absolute certainty, inevitability, and emphatic affirmation. There is no doubt that the prophecy will materialize exactly as declared by God.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "For the saying which he cried by the word of the Lord": This initial clause underscores the divine origin and authoritative proclamation of the prophecy. It establishes that the man of God was merely a conduit, and the true source of the message was YHWH, which inherently guarantees its ultimate veracity and execution. The old prophet, despite his own failure, confirms his profound conviction in this divine authenticity.
  • "against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria": This phrase meticulously details the objects and geographical extent of God's judgment. It begins with the specific symbol of Jeroboam's rebellion (the Bethel altar) and expands to include every illicit worship site throughout the northern kingdom's future central region. This precise and far-reaching identification highlights God's thorough and detailed opposition to religious impurity.
  • "shall surely come to pass": This conclusive affirmation provides a powerful theological statement. It is a direct assertion of divine sovereignty, indicating that YHWH's decrees are immutable and irresistible. This guarantees that His purposes, particularly those involving justice against idolatry, will inevitably unfold in history, no matter how much time elapses or how many human factors seem to stand in the way.

1 Kings 13 32 Bonus section

• The use of "Samaria" in 1 Kings 13, long before the city was founded by Omri, demonstrates either a retrospective historical reflection by the author writing much later than the events, or it's a testament to the comprehensive, all-encompassing nature of divine foresight regarding the entire trajectory of the northern kingdom's apostasy, not limited to Jeroboam's immediate sphere.
• The old prophet's dying wish (1 Ki 13:31) to be buried alongside the man of God from Judah, followed by his strong confirmation of the man of God's prophecy in this verse, presents a complex picture. It suggests that despite his own moral failure and complicity in the man of God's death, he genuinely believed in the authenticity and inevitability of YHWH's word and perhaps sought a form of vicarious shelter from the coming judgment by association with a true, albeit disobedient, servant of God.
• The precise fulfillment of this prophecy by King Josiah centuries later is often highlighted as one of the Bible's strongest pieces of evidence for predictive prophecy. This detailed accuracy reinforces the belief in YHWH as the sole sovereign God who dictates the course of history and whose word is eternally true.

1 Kings 13 32 Commentary

1 Kings 13:32 powerfully reiterates the absolute certainty of divine judgment against Israel's idolatry, confirming the man of God's pivotal prophecy (1 Ki 13:2). Spoken by the old prophet of Bethel, this affirmation, despite the speaker's own flawed character and previous deception, underscores the prophetic message's undeniable origin in God Himself ("by the word of the Lord"). The judgment encompasses not only Jeroboam's notorious Bethel altar but also "all the houses of the high places in the cities of Samaria," showcasing the widespread nature of the future divine retribution across the entire Northern Kingdom. The proleptic mention of "Samaria" (before its establishment as a capital) further highlights God's long-range historical foresight and His unyielding commitment to fulfilling His declared word. The emphatic Hebrew "shall surely come to pass" (a direct divine guarantee) leaves no room for doubt about the prophecy's fulfillment, which indeed occurs centuries later with extraordinary precision through King Josiah's zealous reforms (2 Ki 23:15-20). This verse thus serves as a dire warning of the inevitable consequences of apostasy and an enduring testimony to God's immutable faithfulness and sovereign control over history.