1 Kings 13:26

When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard this, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the command of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, and it has mauled him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to him.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The old prophet speaks after passersby report the man of God’s death, declaring the cause to his sons and those present. He identifies the lion’s attack as direct divine judgment for a broken command.

The words — וַ/יִּשְׁמַ֣ע (va/i.yish.Ma') translates literally as “and he heard,” marking the prophet’s awareness of the event. אִ֣ישׁ ('ish) means “man,” used here to specify the disobedient figure as “the man of God.”

The thread — The text’s claim of strict retribution for violating a direct command parallels Leviticus 10:3, where God’s holiness demands precise obedience. It aligns with 2 Samuel 12:10 and Ezekiel 9:6, where failure to honor divine commands triggers unavoidable judgment.

Why it lands — The passage states that God’s spoken command is binding and that disobedience produces immediate, physical consequences. It requires the reader to treat divine instruction as final and to accept accountability without excuse.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣עva/i.yish.Ma'and/ he heard הַנָּבִיא֮ha./na.Vi'the/ prophet אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwho הֱשִׁיב֣וֹhe.shi.V/ohe had brought back/ him מִן־min-from הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ha./de.reKhthe/ way וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙va/i.Yo.merand/ he said אִ֣ישׁ'ish[is] [the] man of הָאֱלֹהִ֣יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God ה֔וּאHu'that אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwho מָרָ֖הma.Rahhe was disobedient to אֶת־'et-<obj.>פִּ֣יpi[the] mouth of יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahweh וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּva/i.yi.te.Ne./huand/ he has given/ him יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahweh לָאַרְיֵ֗הla./'ar.Yehto the/ lion וַֽיִּשְׁבְּרֵ֙הוּ֙va/i.yish.be.Re./huand/ it has mauled/ him וַיְמִתֵ֔הוּva/y.mi.Te./huand/ it has killed/ him כִּדְבַ֥רki/d.Varaccording to/ [the] word of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwhich דִּבֶּר־di.ber-he spokeלֽוֹ׃l/oto/ him

King James Version

And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto him.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 9:6 Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple.
Leviticus 10:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.
2 Samuel 12:10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’
2 Samuel 12:14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD, the son born to you will surely die.”
Psalms 119:120 My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.
Proverbs 11:31 If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
1 Corinthians 11:30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
1 Peter 4:17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?