1 Kings 13:6

Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The king addresses the man of God immediately after the altar splits and ashes pour out as a divine sign.

The words — וַ/יַּ֨עַן (va/i.Ya.'an) means "and he answered," and חַל־ נָ֞א (chal-na) translates literally as "entreat please," capturing the king’s direct request for intercession.

The thread — This sequence of a ruler pleading for prophetic prayer to halt a divine judgment recurs when Pharaoh asks Moses to pray against the frogs (Exodus 8:8), the hail (Exodus 9:28), and the locusts (Exodus 10:17).

Why it lands — The text records a sovereign acknowledging human limitation and requesting prophetic mediation to reverse a judged consequence. It places the reader in a posture of recognizing that restoration requires intercession, not mere negotiation.

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

וַיַּ֨עַןva/i.Ya.'anand/ he answered הַמֶּ֜לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀va/i.Yo.merand/ he said אֶל־'el-to אִ֣ישׁ'ish[the] man of הָאֱלֹהִ֗יםha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God חַל־chal-entreat נָ֞אna'please אֶת־'et-<obj.>פְּנֵ֨יpe.Nei[the] face of יְהוָ֤הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙'e.lo.Hei./khaGod/ your וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣לve./hit.pa.Leland/ pray בַּעֲדִ֔יba.'a.D/ifor/ me וְתָשֹׁ֥בve./ta.Shoso/ may it come back יָדִ֖יya.D/ihand/ my אֵלָ֑י'e.La/ito/ me וַיְחַ֤לva/y.Chaland/ he entreated אִישׁ־'ish-[the] man of הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ha./'E.lo.Him<the>/ God אֶת־'et-<obj.>פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei[the] face of יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahweh וַתָּ֤שָׁבva./Ta.shovand/ it came back יַד־yad-[the] hand of הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha./Me.lekhthe/ king אֵלָ֔יו'e.La/vto/ him וַתְּהִ֖יva./te.Hiand/ it was כְּבָרִֽאשֹׁנָֽה׃ke./va./Ri.sho.Nahas/ at the/ former [time]

King James Version

And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

Cross-references

Exodus 8:8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
Exodus 9:28 Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
Exodus 10:17 Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, that He may remove this death from me.”
Acts 8:24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
Luke 6:27 But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Exodus 8:28 Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”
Numbers 21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses interceded for the people.
Exodus 8:12 After Moses and Aaron had left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD for help with the frogs that He had brought against Pharaoh.
Exodus 12:32 Take your flocks and herds as well, just as you have said, and depart! And bless me also.”
Numbers 12:13 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, please heal her!”