1 Kings 13:18

Verse

Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,

American Standard Version (1901)

And he said unto him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

Bible in Basic English

Then he said to him, I am a prophet like you; and an angel said to me by the word of the Lord, Take him back with you and give him food and water. But he said false words to him.

Free Bible Version

But the old prophet told him, “I am also a prophet, just like you. An angel told me God said, ‘Take him home with you so that he can have something to eat and drink’” But he was lying to him.

Geneva Bible 1599

And he said vnto him, I am a Prophet also as thou art, and an Angel spake vnto me by the worde of the Lord, saying, Bring him againe with thee into thine house, that hee may eate bread and drinke water: but he lyed vnto him.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

Then the old prophet said to him, “I also am a prophet, like you are. Yahweh sent an angel to tell me that I should take you home with me and give you some food and drink.” But the old man was lying when he said that.

Unlocked Literal Bible

So the old prophet said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat food and drink water.'” But he was lying to the man of God.

Noah Webster Bible

He said to him, I am a prophet also as thou art ; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.

World English Bible

He said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by Yahweh’s word, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” He lied to him.

Young's Literal Translation

And he saith to him, 'I also [am] a prophet like thee, and a messenger spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee unto thy house, and he doth eat bread and drink water;' — he hath lied to him.

Context

The Old Prophet and the Man of God

¹⁷For I have been told by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’” ¹⁸Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,¹⁹but the man of God went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water.

Sermons

Matthew 15:14

Chuck Smith

When the Veil Is Taken Off

Anne Dutton

Summary

In this verse, we see a cautionary tale of the consequences of disobedience to God's specific instructions. The old prophet deceived the man of God by claiming an angel had given him new instructions, leading to the man of God's tragic death. It serves as a reminder of the importance of discerning God's voice and sticking to His commands without being swayed by others, even those who may seem well-intentioned. This account underscores the need for believers to be vigilant in following God's word and not allowing themselves to be led astray, no matter the source.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

An angel spake unto me - That he lied unto him is here expressly asserted, and is amply proved by the event. But why should he deceive him? The simple principle of curiosity to know all about this prediction, and the strange facts which had taken place, of which he had heard at second hand by means of his sons, was sufficient to induce such a person to get the intelligence he wished by any means. We may add to this, that, as he found the man of God sitting under an oak, probably faint with fatigue and fasting, for he had had no refreshment, his humanity might have led him to practice this deception, in order to persuade him to take some refreshment. Having fallen from God, as I have supposed, Kg1 13:11, his own tenderness of conscience was gone; and he would not scruple to do a moral evil, if even a temporal good could come of it. Again, is it not possible that the old prophet was himself deceived? for, though he lied unto him, it is possible that he was not conscious of his lie, for Satan, as an angel of light, might have deceived him in order to lead him to deceive the other. He does not say, as the man of God did, It was said to me by the word of the Lord; no: but, An angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord. And I think it very likely that an angel did appear to him on the occasion; an angel of darkness and idolatry, in the garb of an angel of light, who wished to use him as an instrument to bring discredit on the awful transactions which had lately taken place, and to destroy him who had foretold the destruction of his power and influence.