1 Kings 13 (Melachim Alef) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99441 Kings, Chapter 13
A man of God from Yehudah cries against the altar at Beit El, and Yarov’am’s hand dries up and is restored; an old prophet brings him back with a lie to eat bread, a lion slays him on the way, and the old prophet buries him in his own grave; Yarov’am does not turn from his evil way.
13:1And, behold, there came a man of God out of Yehudah (Judah) by the word of Hashem unto Beit El (Bethel): and Yarov’am (Jeroboam) stood by the altar to burn incense.
אוְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃
13:2And he cried against the altar in the word of Hashem, and said, “O altar, altar, thus says Hashem; ‘Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Yoshiyahu (Josiah) by name; and upon you shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon you, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon you.’”
בוַיִּקְרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ מִזְבֵּ֣חַ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּֽה־בֵ֞ן נוֹלָ֤ד לְבֵית־דָּוִד֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ שְׁמ֔וֹ וְזָבַ֣ח עָלֶ֗יךָ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֤י הַבָּמוֹת֙ הַמַּקְטִרִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ וְעַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ עָלֶֽיךָ׃
13:3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which Hashem has spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.”
גוְנָתַן֩ בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֤וּא מוֹפֵת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֣ה הַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ נִקְרָ֔ע וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן אֲשֶׁר־עָלָֽיו׃
13:4And it came to pass, when king Yarov’am heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beit 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.
דוַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֨חַ֙ בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יָרָבְעָ֧ם אֶת־יָד֛וֹ מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֣ר ׀ תִּפְשֻׂ֑הוּ וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ יָדוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֣ח עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א יָכֹ֖ל לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֵלָֽיו׃
13:5The 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 Hashem.
הוְהַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ נִקְרָ֔ע וַיִּשָּׁפֵ֥ךְ הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן מִן־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כַּמּוֹפֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
13:6And the king answered and said unto the man of God, “Intreat now the face of Hashem your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again.” And the man of God besought Hashem, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.
ווַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים חַל־נָ֞א אֶת־פְּנֵ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדִ֔י וְתָשֹׁ֥ב יָדִ֖י אֵלָ֑י וַיְחַ֤ל אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתָּ֤שָׁב יַד־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַתְּהִ֖י כְּבָרִֽאשֹׁנָֽה׃
13:7And the king said unto the man of God, “Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”
זוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים בֹּאָה־אִתִּ֥י הַבַּ֖יְתָה וּֽסְעָ֑דָה וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לְךָ֖ מַתָּֽת׃
13:8And the man of God said unto the king, “If you will give me half your house, I will not go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
חוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־תִּתֶּן־לִי֙ אֶת־חֲצִ֣י בֵיתֶ֔ךָ לֹ֥א אָבֹ֖א עִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־אֹ֤כַל לֶ֨חֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶשְׁתֶּה־מַּ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
13:9For so was it charged me by the word of Hashem, saying, ‘Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that you came.’”
טכִּֽי־כֵ֣ן ׀ צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתָּ׃
13:10So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Beit El.
יוַיֵּ֖לֶךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אַחֵ֑ר וְלֹֽא־שָׁ֣ב בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֛ר בָּ֥א בָ֖הּ אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃
13:11Now there dwelt an old prophet in Beit El; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Beit El: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
יאוְנָבִ֤יא אֶחָד֙ זָקֵ֔ן יֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וַיָּב֣וֹא בְנ֡וֹ וַיְסַפֶּר־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֩ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ הַיּ֜וֹם בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֗ל אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיְסַפְּר֖וּם לַאֲבִיהֶֽם׃
13:12And their father said unto them, “What way went he?” For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Yehudah.
יבוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֵֽי־זֶ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ הָלָ֑ךְ וַיִּרְא֣וּ בָנָ֗יו אֶת־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָלַךְ֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א מִיהוּדָֽה׃
13:13And he said unto his sons, “Saddle me the donkey.” So they saddled him the donkey: and he rode thereon,
יגוַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּנָ֔יו חִבְשׁוּ־לִ֖י הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיִּרְכַּ֖ב עָלָֽיו׃
13:14And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, “Are you the man of God that came from Yehudah?” And he said, “I am.”
ידוַיֵּ֗לֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּ֨מְצָאֵ֔הוּ יֹשֵׁ֖ב תַּ֣חַת הָאֵלָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הַאַתָּ֧ה אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אתָ מִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽנִי׃
13:15Then he said unto him, “Come home with me, and eat bread.”
טווַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו לֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֖י הַבָּ֑יְתָה וֶאֱכֹ֖ל לָֽחֶם׃
13:16And he said, “I may not return with you, nor go in with you: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place:
טזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֥א אוּכַ֛ל לָשׁ֥וּב אִתָּ֖ךְ וְלָב֣וֹא אִתָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־אֹ֣כַל לֶ֗חֶם וְלֹֽא־אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה אִתְּךָ֙ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
13:17For it was said to me by the word of Hashem, ‘You shall eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that you came.’”
יזכִּֽי־דָבָ֤ר אֵלַי֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹאכַ֣ל לֶ֔חֶם וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁתֶּ֥ה שָׁ֖ם מָ֑יִם לֹא־תָשׁ֣וּב לָלֶ֔כֶת בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥כְתָּ בָּֽהּ׃
13:18He said unto him, “I am a prophet also as you are; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of Hashem, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied unto him.
יחוַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י נָבִיא֮ כָּמוֹךָ֒ וּמַלְאָ֡ךְ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלַי֩ בִּדְבַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲשִׁבֵ֤הוּ אִתְּךָ֙ אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְיֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְיֵ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם כִּחֵ֖שׁ לֽוֹ׃
13:19So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
יטוַיָּ֣שָׁב אִתּ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֛חֶם בְּבֵית֖וֹ וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מָֽיִם׃
13:20And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Hashem came unto the prophet that brought him back:
כוַיְהִ֕י הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים אֶל־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן פ וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃
13:21And he cried unto the man of God that came from Yehudah, saying, “Thus says Hashem, ‘Forasmuch as you have disobeyed the mouth of Hashem, and have not kept the commandment which Hashem your God commanded you,
כאוַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤א מִֽיהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה יַ֗עַן כִּ֤י מָרִ֨יתָ֙ פִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַ֨רְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
13:22But came back, and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which Hashem did say to you, Eat no bread, and drink no water; your carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of your fathers.’”
כבוַתָּ֗שָׁב וַתֹּ֤אכַל לֶ֨חֶם֙ וַתֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־תֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְאַל־תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם לֹֽא־תָב֥וֹא נִבְלָתְךָ֖ אֶל־קֶ֥בֶר אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
13:23And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the donkey, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.
כגוַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֛י אָכְל֥וֹ לֶ֖חֶם וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שְׁתוֹת֑וֹ וַיַּחֲבָשׁ־ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר לַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃
13:24And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
כדוַיֵּ֕לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָאֵ֧הוּ אַרְיֵ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ וַתְּהִ֤י נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהַחֲמוֹר֙ עֹמֵ֣ד אֶצְלָ֔הּ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֥צֶל הַנְּבֵלָֽה׃
13:25And, 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.
כהוְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֣ים עֹבְרִ֗ים וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֶת־הַנְּבֵלָה֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֨אוּ֙ וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ בָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֛ר הַנָּבִ֥יא הַזָּקֵ֖ן יֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּֽהּ׃
13:26And 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 Hashem: therefore Hashem has delivered him unto the lion, which has torn him, and slain him, according to the word of Hashem, which He spoke unto him.”
כווַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַנָּבִיא֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱשִׁיב֣וֹ מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֣ים ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָרָ֖ה אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ יְהוָ֜ה לָאַרְיֵ֗ה וַֽיִּשְׁבְּרֵ֨הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֵ֔הוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּר־לֽוֹ׃
13:27And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle me the donkey.” And they saddled him.
כזוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חִבְשׁוּ־לִ֖י אֶֽת־הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃
13:28And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the donkey and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the donkey.
כחוַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָ֤א אֶת־נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַֽחֲמוֹר֙ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה לֹֽא־אָכַ֤ל הָֽאַרְיֵה֙ אֶת־הַנְּבֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁבַ֖ר אֶֽת־הַחֲמֽוֹר׃
13:29And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the donkey, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.
כטוַיִּשָּׂ֨א הַנָּבִ֜יא אֶת־נִבְלַ֧ת אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וַיַּנִּחֵ֥הוּ אֶֽל־הַחֲמ֖וֹר וַיְשִׁיבֵ֑הוּ וַיָּבֹ֗א אֶל־עִיר֙ הַנָּבִ֣יא הַזָּקֵ֔ן לִסְפֹּ֖ד וּלְקָבְרֽוֹ׃
13:30And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!”
לוַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶת־נִבְלָת֖וֹ בְּקִבְר֑וֹ וַיִּסְפְּד֥וּ עָלָ֖יו ה֥וֹי אָחִֽי׃
13:31And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spoke 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:
לאוַיְהִי֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י קָבְר֣וֹ אֹתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בְּמוֹתִי֙ וּקְבַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֔י בַּקֶּ֕בֶר אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים קָב֣וּר בּ֑וֹ אֵ֚צֶל עַצְמֹתָ֔יו הַנִּ֖יחוּ אֶת־עַצְמֹתָֽי׃
13:32For the saying which he cried by the word of Hashem against the altar in Beit El, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Shomron (Samaria), shall surely come to pass.”
לבכִּי֩ הָיֹ֨ה יִהְיֶ֜ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרָא֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וְעַל֙ כָּל־בָּתֵּ֣י הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעָרֵ֥י שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃
13:33After this thing Yarov’am 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.
לגאַחַר֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹֽא־שָׁ֥ב יָרָבְעָ֖ם מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה וַ֠יָּשָׁב וַיַּ֜עַשׂ מִקְצ֤וֹת הָעָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ יְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־יָד֔וֹ וִיהִ֖י כֹּהֲנֵ֥י בָמֽוֹת׃
13:34And this thing became sin unto the house of Yarov’am, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.
לדוַיְהִי֙ בַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְחַטַּ֖את בֵּ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֑ם וּלְהַכְחִיד֙ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֔יד מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Kings they differ from most English Bibles in chapters 4–5 (4:21–34 there is 5:1–14 here), 18 and 20 (where a sentence is divided at a different place) and 22; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.