In this chapter is an account of a man of God being sent to exclaim against Jeroboam's altar, and threaten its destruction, of which he gave a sign, which was accomplished, and with it the withering of the king's hand, which was healed upon the prophet's prayer for him, 1Ki 13:1, who would have entertained him at his house, but he refused the offer, and departed, 1Ki 13:8, but an old prophet in Bethel hearing of him, rode after him, and fetched him back to eat bread with him, through a lie he told him, 1Ki 13:11 upon which the word came to the old prophet, threatening the man of God with death for disobeying his command, and which was accordingly executed by a lion that met him in the way, and slew him, 1Ki 13:20, of which the old prophet being informed, went and took up his carcass, and buried it in his own sepulchre, where he charged his sons to bury him also when dead, believing that all the man of God had said would be fulfilled, 1Ki 13:25 and the chapter is closed with observing the continuance of Jeroboam in his idolatry, 1Ki 13:33.
Ver. 1. And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah,.... Whom Josephus calls Jadon, perhaps the same with Iddo, who is by the Jewish writers generally thought to be this man of God, and which may seem to be countenanced by 2Ch 9:29 but cannot be, because this man was quickly slain, whereas Iddo lived after Rehoboam, and wrote his acts, first and last, nay, after Ahijah his son, 2Ch 13:22 and for the same reason Shemaiah cannot be the man of God, 1Ki 12:22, though Tertullian calls him Sameas, and designs Shemaiah: but, whoever he was, he cameby the word of the Lord to Bethel: that is, by his command:and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense; at the time he came, 1Ki 12:33.
Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 8. c. 8. sect. 3.) Seder Olam Rabba, c. 20. Shalshalet Hakabala, fol. 11. 1. Jarch & Kimchi in loc. De Jejuniis, c.