1 Kings 13:2

_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._ He cried against the altar - which is put for the whole system of worship organized in Israel. BEHOLD, A CHILD SHALL BE BORN ... JOSIAH BY NAME - (see the notes at 2 Kings 23:15.) This is one of the most remarkable prophecies recorded in the Scriptures; and in its clearness, circumstantial minuteness, and exact prediction of an event that took place 360 years after it, stands in striking contrast to the obscure and ambiguous oracles of the pagan. Being publicly uttered, it must have been well known to the people; and every Jew who lived at the accomplishme

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 David would continue, and support true religion, when the ten tribes would not be able to resist them. If God, in justice, harden the hearts of sinners, so that the hand they have stretched out in sin they cannot pull in again by repentance, that is a spiritual judgment, represented by this, and much more dreadful. Jeroboam looked for help, not from his calves, but from God only, from his power, and his favour. The time may come when those that hate the preaching, would be glad of the prayers of faithful ministers. Jeroboam does not desire the prophet to pray that his sin might be pardoned, and his heart changed, but only that his hand might be restored. He seemed affected...

Verse 1 Kings 13:2. _HE CRIED AGAINST THE ALTAR_] He denounced the destruction of this idolatrous system. _A CHILD SHALL BE BORN - JOSIAH BY NAME_] This is one of the most remarkable and most singular prophecies in the Old Testament. It here most circumstantially foretells a fact which took place _three_ _hundred and forty_ years after the prediction; a fact which was attested by the two nations. The _Jews_, in whose behalf this prophecy was delivered, would guard it most sacredly; and it was the interest of the _Israelites_, against whom it was levelled, to impugn its authenticity and expose its falsehood, had this been possible. This prediction not only showed the _knowledge_ of God, but his _power_. He gave, as it were, this warning to idolatry, that it might be on its guard, and defend itself against this Josiah whenever a p

A CHILD SHALL BE BORN ... JOSIAH BY NAME - Divine predictions so seldom descend to such particularity as this, that doubts are entertained, even by orthodox theologians, with respect to the actual mention of Josiah’s name by a prophet living in the time of Jeroboam. Only one other instance that can be considered parallel occurs in the whole of Scripture - the mention of Cyrus by Isaiah. Of course no one who believes in the divine foreknowledge can doubt that God could, if He chose, cause events to be foretold minutely by his prophets; but certainly the general law of his Providence is, that He does not do so. If this law is to be at any time broken through, it will not be capriciously. Here it certainly does not appear what great effect was to be produced by the mention of Josiah’s name so long before his birth; and hence, a doubt arises whether we have in our present copies the true ori...

EXPOSITION THE TESTIMONY OF GOD AGAINST THE CALF WORSHIP.—We have in this chapter, which some commentators consider to be derived from a different source from the narratives which precede and follow it—the expression of 1 Kings 13:32, "the cities of Samaria," according to them, proving it to be of a later date, while the style and colouring of the story suggest that it embodies a tradition current in the time of the compiler—an account of certain circumstances of profound significance which marked the inauguration of Jeroboam's first great feast—for the close connexion with 1 Kings 12:1. shows that it is "the fifteenth day of the eighth month" that is he

AND HE CRIED AGAINST THE ALTAR IN THE WORD OF THE LORD,.... By his order and command: AND SAID, O ALTAR, ALTAR; addressing himself not to Jeroboam, but the altar, thereby reproving his stupidity, the altar being as ready to hear as he; and because that was what moved the indignation of the Lord; and the word is repeated, to show the vehemency of the prophet's spirit, and his zeal against it; though the Jews commonly say it respects both altars, that at Dan, as well as this at Bethel: THUS SAITH THE LORD, A CHILD SHALL BE BORN UNTO THE HOUSE OF DAVID, JOSIAH BY NAME; who was not born until three hundred years after this, according to the Jewish writers a: but it is generally reckoned to be more, even three hundred and fifty or three hundred and sixty years; this is a clear proof of the prescience, predetermination, and providence of God with respect to future events, contingent ones, su...

2. JEROBOAM AND REHOBOAM AND THEIR REIGN CHAPTER 13 The Man of God from Judah _ 1. The man of God and Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:1)_ 2. The temptation and lying message (1 Kings 13:11) 3. Judgment announced (1 Kings 13:20) 4. The fate of the man of Judah (1 Kings 13:23) 5. Jeroboam's impenitence (1 Kings 13:33) A dramatic scene opens this chapter. The idolatrous King is engaged in his religious ceremony when an unnamed man of God interrupted him. He did not rebuke Jeroboam, but addressed

1 Kings 12:25 to 1 Kings 13:34. THE SIN OF JEROBOAM. THE PROPHET AT BETHEL. The sources cannot be exactly determined. Some (see Cent.B) may belong to the annals of the northern kingdom, but the tone is decidedly Deuteronomic. The prophet's message to Jeroboam is certainly late. Jeroboam's first act as recorded was to build or fortify Shechem (1 Kings 12:25). Then for some reason he transferred his seat of government to the E. of Jordan to Penuel. Possibly he was hard pressed by his former patron Shishak, who invaded Israel in his reign (1 Kings 14:25). There is no proof of this; but Abner after Saul's death set up Ishbosh

O ALTAR, ALTAR. Figures of speech _Apostrophe_ and _E_ pizeuxis. CHILD. son. JOSIAH BY NAME. Cyrus is the only other so foretold (177 years before). Josiah knew (2 Kings 23:17; 2 Kings 23:18). Cyrus knew (2Ch 36:22, 2 Chronicles 36:23.Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 44:28). OFFER (in sacrifice). slay, or slaughter. App-43. MEN'S: human. Hebrew. _'adam_. App-14. SHALL BE. This was fulfilled in...

_he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord_ The Hebrew is the same as in the preceding verse. Render therefore (with R.V.) -by the word." The meaning is that both the journey from Judah and the prophecy were in consequence of divine instruction. _Josiah by name_ The history of the fulfilment of this prophecy is in 2 Kings 23:15-16. Between the accession of Jeroboam and the accession of Josiah was an interval of about 330 years. Hence as the name of the king who should execute the threatened vengeance is mentioned, this prophecy is remarkable among the predictions of the Old Testament. There is nothing with which it can be compared except the prophecy concerning Cyrus in Isaiah 44:28; Isaiah 45:1,