About 1 Kings

1 Kings records Solomon's glorious reign and the tragic division of the kingdom, along with the ministry of Elijah.

Author: Jeremiah (traditionally)Written: c. 560-540 BCReading time: ~4 minVerses: 34
WisdomTempleDivisionApostasyProphetsJudgment

King James Version

1 Kings 13

34 verses with commentary

The Man of God from Judah

And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. burn: or, offer

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Beth-el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The sacrificial system points forward to Christ's ultimate sacrifice, fulfill...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(1) **A man of God out of Judah.**—Josephus calls him Jadon (Iddo); but from 2Chronicles 13:22 it appears that Iddo was the chronicler of the reign of Abijah, and must, therefore, have lived till near the close of Jeroboam’s reign. Probably the tradition came from a mistaken interpretation of the “visions of Iddo against Jeroboam.” **By the word of the Lord.**—A weak rendering of the original, “in...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**33. he spake of trees, from the cedar ... to the hyssop--**all plants, from the greatest to the least. The Spirit of God has seen fit to preserve comparatively few memorials of the fruits of his gigantic mind. The greater part of those here ascribed to him have long since fallen a prey to the ravages of time, or perished in the Babylonish captivity, probably because they were not inspired.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; 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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; 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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(2) **Thus saith the Lord.**—This is one of those rather unfrequent prophecies found in Holy Scripture, which, not content to foreshadow the future in general outline, descend to striking particularity of detail. It has been indeed suggested that the words. “Josiah by name” are a marginal gloss which has crept into the text, or the insertion of the chronicler writing after the event, and not a par...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The sacrificial system points forward to Ch...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(3, 4) **The sign.**—Both the signs, like most miraculous signs, shadow forth plainly the thing signified. The sign, announced to secure credence to the prediction, is itself a visible type of what that prediction foretold, in the shattering of the altar and the scattering of the ashes of the burnt-offering. The sign actually given includes, besides this, the sudden withering of the king’s hand, s...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 5 1Ki 5:1-6. Hiram Sends to Congratulate Solomon. **1. Hiram ... sent his servants unto Solomon--**the grandson of David's contemporary [Kitto]; or the same Hiram [Winer and others]. The friendly relations which the king of Tyre had cultivated with David are here seen renewed with his son and successor, by a message of condolence as well as of congratulation on his accession to the thr...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The sacrificial system points forward to Christ's ultimate sacrifice, ...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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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. the LORD, and: Heb. the face of the LORD, etc

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contribution to 1 Kin...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(7) **Come home with me . . .**—The invitation may have been in part the mark of some impression made on the king, and an impulse of gratitude for the restoration of his withered hand. Such was the request of Naaman to Elisha (2Kings 5:15), though even this was emphatically refused. But it still savours of astute policy in Jeroboam: for the acceptance of hospitality and reward would in the eyes of...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The temple represents God's dwelling among His peopl...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
Read full commentary →

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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this pas...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(9) **Nor turn again . . .**—The significance of this command is less obvious. It may have meant that he should not suffer the way of his return (which would clearly not be the obvious way) to be known, but should vanish swiftly, like the messenger of Elisha to Jehu (2Kings 9:3; 2Kings 9:10), when his work was done. If so, his neglect of the spirit of the command was the first step in the way of h...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**6. command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon--**Nowhere else could Solomon have procured materials for the woodwork of his contemplated building. The forests of Lebanon, adjoining the seas in Solomon's time, belonged to the Phoenicians, and the timber being a lucrative branch of their exports, immense numbers of workmen were constantly employed in the felling of trees as well as t...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beth-el.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contribution to 1 Kings' theological message about kin...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7. Blessed be the Lord--**This language is no decisive evidence that Hiram was a worshipper of the true God, as he might use it only on the polytheistic principle of acknowledging Jehovah as the God of the Hebrews (see on 2Ch 2:11).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 13 Chapter Outline Jeroboam's sin reproved.(1-10) The prophet deceived.(11-22) The disobedient prophet is slain, Jeroboam's obstinacy.(23-34) **Verses 1-10** In threatening the altar, the prophet threatens the founder and worshippers. Idolatrous worship will not continue, but the word of the Lord will endure for ever. The prediction plainly declared that the family of...
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The Prophet's Disobedience

Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beth-el; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Beth-el: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various ru...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(11) **An old prophet in Bethel.**—The narrative clearly implies—and, indeed, part of its most striking instructiveness depends on this—that this old prophet was not a mere pretender to prophetic inspiration, nor an apostate from the worship of Jehovah. Like Balaam, he united true prophetic gifts with a low worldliness of temper, capable on occasion of base subterfuge and deceit. Such union of ele...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**8. Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things ... and I will do--**The contract was drawn out formally in a written document (2Ch 2:11), which, according to Josephus, was preserved both in the Jewish and Tyrian records.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contr...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contribution to 1 Kings' theologica...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**10. fir trees--**rather, the cypress.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for unde...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(14) **An oak.**—Properly, *the oak*, or *terebinth; *supposed to be known in that comparatively treeless country, like the oak at Shechem (Genesis 35:4; Genesis 35:8; Joshua 24:26; Judges 9:6), the oak at Ophrah (Judges 6:11), and the palm-tree of Deborah (Judges 4:5). This expression is an evident mark of the antiquity of the document from which the history is taken. It has been suggested that t...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11. food to his household--**This was an annual supply for the palace, different from that mentioned in 2Ch 2:10, which was for the workmen in the forests. 1Ki 5:13-18. Solomon's Workmen and Laborers.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contribution to 1 Kings' theological message about kingship, covenant, and...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's con...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**13. Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel--**The renewed notice of Solomon's divine gift of wisdom (1Ki 5:12) is evidently introduced to prepare for this record of the strong but prudent measures he took towards the accomplishment of his work. So great a stretch of arbitrary power as is implied in this compulsory levy would have raised great discontent, if not opposition, had not his wise arra...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
Read full commentary →

For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. it: Heb. a word was

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding th...
Read full commentary →

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers....
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(18) **An angel spake unto me.**—The lie was gross, and ought to have been obvious to one who had received a plain command, and must have known that “God was not a man that He should lie, or the son of man that He should repent.” It was believed, no doubt, because it chimed in with some secret reluctance to obey, and, by obedience, to give up all reward and hospitality. Hence the belief was a self...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The temple represents God's dwelling among His people and foreshadows Christ as Immanuel ('God with us'). <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals n...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The prophetic office represents God's faithful witness even in apostasy, calling His people back...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(20) **The word of the Lord came.**—It is, perhaps, the most terrible feature in the history that the Divine sentence is spoken—no doubt, as in the case of Balaam, unwillingly—through the very lips which by falsehood had lured the prophet of Judah from the right path, and at the very table of treacherous hospitality. Josephus, with his perverse tendency to explain away all that seems startling, mi...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**17. brought great stones--**The stone of Lebanon is "hard, calcareous, whitish and sonorous, like free stone" [Shaw]. The same white and beautiful stone can be obtained in every part of Syria and Palestine. **hewed stones--**or neatly polished, as the Hebrew word signifies (Ex 20:25). Both Jewish and Tyrian builders were employed in hewing these great stones.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
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And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**18. and the stone squarers--**The Margin, which renders it "the Giblites" (Jos 13:5), has long been considered a preferable translation. This marginal translation also must yield to another which has lately been proposed, by a slight change in the Hebrew text, and which would be rendered thus: "Solomon's builders, and Hiram's builders, did hew them and bevel them" [Thenius]. These great bevelled...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
Read full commentary →

But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 11-22** The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went ...
Read full commentary →

And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The prophetic office represents God's faithful witness even ...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(24) **A lion.**—The lion is noticed in the Old Testament not unfrequently, especially in Southern Palestine: at Timnath (Judges 14:5); near Bethlehem (1Samuel 17:34); at Kabzeel, in Judah (2Samuel 23:20); near Aphek (1Kings 20:36); in the thickets and forests of the Jordan valley (Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 5:6), &c. The lion of Palestine is probably of the variety still constantly found in the neigh...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

CHAPTER 6 1Ki 6:1-4. The Building of Solomon's Temple. **2. the house which king Solomon built for the Lord--**The dimensions are given in cubits, which are to be reckoned according to the early standard (2Ch 3:3), or holy cubit (Eze 40:5; 43:13), a handbreadth longer than the common or later one. It is probable that the internal elevation only is here stated.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The prophetic office represents God's faithf...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**3. the porch--**or portico, extended across the whole front (see on 2Ch 3:4).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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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. torn: Heb. broken

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>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.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, ...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(26) **He said, It is the man of God.**—The old prophet did not know how his prediction was to be fulfilled, but recognised at once its supernatural fulfilment. There is in his words a characteristic reticence as to his own share in the work, in respect both of the deceit and the prediction of judgment, perhaps indicating something of the strange mixture of remorse and unscrupulous policy which co...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**4. windows of narrow lights--**that is, windows with lattices, capable of being shut and opened at pleasure, partly to let out the vapor of the lamps, the smoke of the frankincense, and partly to give light [Keil]. 1Ki 6:5-10. The Chambers Thereof.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contribution to 1 Kings' theological message about kings...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**5. against the wall of the house he built chambers--**On three sides, there were chambers in three stories, each story wider than the one beneath it, as the walls were narrowed or made thinner as they ascended, by a rebate being made, on which the beams of the side floor rested, without penetrating the wall. These chambers were approached from the right-hand side, in the interior of the under st...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. torn: Heb. broken

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for under...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The prophetic office represents God's faithful w...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**7. there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house while it was in building--**A subterranean quarry has been very recently discovered near Jerusalem, where the temple stones are supposed to have been hewn. There is unequivocal evidence in this quarry that the stones were dressed there; for there are blocks very similar in size, as well as of the same kind of stone, as t...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew text reveals nuances important for understanding this passage's contribution to 1 Kings' theological...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(30-32) **They mourned.**—The mourning of the old prophet, and the burial of the body in his own sepulchre, probably show some touch of remorse and personal compassion for the victim of his treacherous policy, mingled with the desire of preserving the tomb, which was to be his own last resting-place, from desecration, when the prediction of the prophet of Judah should be accomplished. But, even se...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones:</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. <br><br>The Hebrew tex...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**9-10. built the house--**The temple is here distinguished from the wings or chambers attached to it--and its roofing was of cedar-wood.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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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.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The temple represents...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**9-10. built the house--**The temple is here distinguished from the wings or chambers attached to it--and its roofing was of cedar-wood.

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places. made: Heb. returned and made consecrated: Heb. filled his hand

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rul...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(33) **Whosoever would.**—See 1Kings 12:32. The emphatic tone of the words, “whosoever would, he consecrated him,” possibly indicates that, in spite of all that Jeroboam and his prophet could do, there was some difficulty in securing candidates for his unauthorised priesthood.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-13. the word of the Lord came to Solomon--**probably by a prophet. It was very seasonable, being designed: first, to encourage him to go on with the building, by confirming anew the promise made to his father David (2Sa 7:12-16); and secondly, to warn him against the pride and presumption of supposing that after the erection of so magnificent a temple, he and his people would always be sure o...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.</strong><br><br>This verse contributes to the broader narrative of the man of god from judah, within the book's focus on spiritual decline of both kingdoms under various rulers. The temple represents God's dwelling among His people and foreshadows Christ as Immanuel (...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(34) **And this thing.**—The comment of the author of the book, evidently based on the prophetic denunciation of Ahijah in 1Kings 14:9-11, and its subsequent fulfilment. (See 1Kings 15:25-30.) Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**11-13. the word of the Lord came to Solomon--**probably by a prophet. It was very seasonable, being designed: first, to encourage him to go on with the building, by confirming anew the promise made to his father David (2Sa 7:12-16); and secondly, to warn him against the pride and presumption of supposing that after the erection of so magnificent a temple, he and his people would always be sure o...
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

**Verses 23-34** God is displeased at the sins of his own people; and no man shall be protected in disobedience, by his office, his nearness to God, or any services he has done for him. God warns all whom he employs, strictly to observe their orders. We cannot judge of men by their sufferings, nor of sins by present punishments; with some, the flesh is destroyed, that the spirit may be saved; ...
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