1 Kings 13 9

1 Kings 13:9 kjv

For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

1 Kings 13:9 nkjv

For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall not eat bread, nor drink water, nor return by the same way you came.' "

1 Kings 13:9 niv

For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.'?"

1 Kings 13:9 esv

for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'"

1 Kings 13:9 nlt

For the LORD gave me this command: 'You must not eat or drink anything while you are there, and do not return to Judah by the same way you came.'"

1 Kings 13 verses

1 Kings 13 9 Meaning

This verse states the precise, divine command given by the LORD to the man of God from Judah concerning his conduct after delivering the prophecy against Jeroboam’s idolatrous altar in Bethel. It emphatically forbids him from consuming any food or drink in that place and strictly prohibits him from returning by the same path he traveled, underscoring the necessity of absolute separation and complete obedience to God’s explicit instruction.

1 Kings 13 9 Context

1 Kings chapter 13 immediately follows the establishment of Jeroboam's idolatrous golden calves at Bethel and Dan, designed to prevent his people from going to Jerusalem to worship the LORD. The chapter introduces an unnamed "man of God" from Judah sent by the LORD to deliver a scathing prophecy against Jeroboam’s altar at Bethel. This man performs a sign – the splitting of the altar – which further demonstrates God's power and denounces Jeroboam’s false worship. Jeroboam attempts to entice the man of God with a reward, and verse 9 provides the man of God's divinely given reason for refusing any hospitality or interaction with the defiled site and its ruler. The prohibitions were meant to underscore God's complete rejection of Jeroboam's religious system and to prevent any perceived complicity or defilement of His prophet by association with sin.

1 Kings 13 9 Word analysis

• For so: This introductory phrase, Hebrew kî ken (כִּי־כֵן), emphasizes that the command is absolute and without negotiation, highlighting the precise and unalterable nature of the divine instruction. It functions as a strong confirmation of the subsequent divine utterance.
• commanded me: The Hebrew verb tzavah (צוה) denotes an imperative, a direct and authoritative order from a superior. This signifies that the man of God did not originate these instructions; they were given to him, underscoring the passive nature of his role as a recipient and conveyor of God's will, not his own initiative or preference.
• by the word of the LORD: Hebrew bidvar YHWH (בִּדְבַר יְהוָה). This crucial phrase explicitly attributes the command’s origin to God Himself. "The word of the LORD" (דבר יהוה) is a potent theological concept throughout Scripture, indicating divine revelation, absolute authority, and infallible truth. It establishes the unyielding authority behind the prohibition, making disobedience a direct affront to God.
• saying: Hebrew lēʼmor (לֵאמֹר). This word acts as a transition, introducing the exact words of the divine command that follows. It signals a direct quotation, lending immediacy and authenticity to the prohibitions.
• ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there’: This double negative command (לא תאכל לחם ולא תשתה מים - lo to'khel lekhem v'lo tishte mayim) is an absolute prohibition.
  • eat bread nor drink water: Represents basic human sustenance. The denial of these indicates a complete rejection of fellowship and hospitality from the defiled place and its inhabitants. It's a symbolic act of ritual purity and non-complicity with Jeroboam's idolatry. To eat and drink would imply a common bond and acceptance, which God absolutely forbade.
  • there: The Hebrew sham (שָׁם) specifically points to Bethel, the very site where Jeroboam erected the golden calf and altar, making it a focal point of apostasy. The command emphasizes geographic and spiritual separation from this defiled place.
• ‘nor return again by the way that you came.’: This secondary prohibition underscores the concept of complete separation and non-reversal.
  • return again by the way that you came: This command prevents any physical retracing of steps back to Bethel or even in a manner that might symbolize continued association with it. It emphasizes breaking all ties and preventing any opportunity for further temptation or contact with the corrupt environment, signifying an irreversible move away from spiritual danger.

1 Kings 13 9 Bonus section

The severity and specificity of the command to the man of God might serve several purposes:

• Protection: To protect the man of God from both ritual defilement and spiritual compromise. Eating with Jeroboam or lingering in Bethel could open doors to spiritual influence or compromise his prophetic integrity in the eyes of others.
• Purity of Message: The abstinence and separate return path emphasized that the man of God was completely distinct from Jeroboam's regime and derived his authority and sustenance solely from the LORD, making his prophecy undeniable in its divine origin.
• Prophetic Sign: The very act of abstaining and choosing an alternate route was a living prophecy—a dramatic object lesson illustrating God's complete alienation from Jeroboam's idolatry and His people's need for decisive separation.
• A Test: The precise and inconvenient nature of the command served as a direct test of the prophet's loyalty and obedience to the word of the LORD, foreshadowing the tragic outcome of his failure later in the chapter.

1 Kings 13 9 Commentary

1 Kings 13:9 unveils God's unwavering demand for unqualified obedience and uncompromising separation from idolatry and its accompanying defilement. The man of God received highly specific instructions not merely as an arbitrary test, but as a symbolic act reflecting God's absolute repudiation of Jeroboam’s apostate religion. Refusing food and water from Bethel signified a prophetic renunciation of any fellowship or shared provision with a kingdom built on idolatry. It declared that God's prophet relied solely on God's provision, not human hospitality offered in a tainted context. The command to use a different return path reinforced this principle of non-reengagement; there was to be no lingering association or even a symbolic hint of turning back towards what God condemned. This verse highlights the stringent expectations God places upon those who bear His message, demanding integrity and radical fidelity that transcends personal comfort or social conventions. The ensuing tragic events of the chapter powerfully illustrate the severe consequences of even slight deviations from such clear and specific divine directives, especially when disguised by appeals to spiritual authority.