Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
2. 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 2Ki 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 Isa 44:28; Isa 45:1, nor is it according to the manner of scriptural prophecies to be precise about details such as this. Hence some have thought that this verse and also other parts of the story of this chapter were brought into their present form at a later date than Jeroboam. The story of the appearance of the prophet and of his prediction were known from the first, but the details here given were inserted when the prediction was accomplished. There is certainly in 1Ki 13:32 a notice of the ‘cities of Samaria’ which confirms this opinion. Jeroboam’s capital was Shechem, and Samaria was not built, nor any district so called, till the reign of Omri the father of Ahab (1Ki 16:24). Again, it is unlike the rest of the narrative of the Books of Kings that no name should be given to either of the prophets who play such a part in the story. It seems therefore probable that the chapter is taken from some other source than that which supplied what has gone before and what follows it. If this be so, we need not be surprised at what was noticed on the previous verse, that Jeroboam’s action in approaching the altar seems noted as impious while Solomon’s sacrifices are accepted. The compiler of the Books of Kings gathered his material from various sources, and did his work after Josiah was dead. There is no difficulty in understanding how by that time the story as he has given it had been put on record, and as he wished to place Jeroboam’s sin in a strong light all through his history, the events here recorded were exceedingly appropriate for incorporation in his narrative.
upon thee shall he offer the priests ] The verb is that which is usually rendered sacrifice, and it is better (with R.V.) so to translate it. Josephus states specifically ‘upon thee shall he sacrifice the false priests which shall be at that time’. Not only was the king to defile the altar by casting upon it the bones of the dead, but his righteous vengeance was to fall also upon the idolatrous priests then living, and they were to be slain by him before the altars at which they ministered.
men’s bones shall be burnt ] R.V. shall they burn. There is no gain apparent in departing from the literal rendering of the original.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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 Josiahs 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 Josiahs name so long before his birth; and hence, a doubt arises whether we have in our present copies the true original text. The sense is complete without the words Josiah by name; and these words, if originally a marginal note, may easily have crept into the text by the mistake of a copyist. It is remarkable that, where this narrative is again referred to in Kings (marginal reference), there is no allusion to the fact that the man of God had prophesied of Josiah by name.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 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 person of that name should be found sitting on the throne of David; and no doubt it was on the alert, and took all prudent measures for its own defence; but all in vain, for Josiah, in the eighteenth year of his reign, literally accomplished this prophecy, as we may read, 2Kg 23:15-20. And from this latter place we find that the prophecy had three permanent testimonials of its truth.
1. The house of Israel;
2. The house of Judah; and,
3. The tomb of the prophet who delivered this prophecy, who, being slain by a lion, was brought back and buried at Beth-el, the superscription on whose tomb remained till the day on which Josiah destroyed that altar, and burnt dead men’s bones upon it.
See above, verses 16-18. 2Kg 23:16-18
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He cried against the altar; and consequently, against all that worship, which is oft signified by the name of the altar. See Isa 19:19; 1Co 9:13; Heb 7:13; 13:10. O altar, altar; he directs his speech to the altar, partly because the following signs were wrought upon it, and partly to signify that Jeroboam would no more regard his words than the altar did, and yet they should take effect.
A child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; which being done above three hundred years after this prophecy, plainly shows the absolute certainty of Gods providence and foreknowledge, even in the most contingent things. For this was in itself uncertain, and wholly depended upon mans will, both as to the having of a child, and as to the giving it this name. Therefore God can certainly and effectually overrule mans will which way he pleaseth; or else it was possible that this prediction should have been false, which is blasphemous to imagine.
Upon thee shall he offer the priests; synecdoehically, the bones of the priests, 2Ki 23:15,16, whereby the altar should be defiled.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2-9. he cried against thealtarwhich is put for the whole system of worship organized inIsrael.
Behold, a child shall be born. . . Josiah by nameThis is one of the most remarkableprophecies recorded in the Scriptures; and, in its clearness,circumstantial minuteness, and exact prediction of an event that tookplace three hundred sixty years later, it stands in striking contrastto the obscure and ambiguous oracles of the heathen. Being publiclyuttered, it must have been well known to the people; and every Jewwho lived at the accomplishment of the event must have been convincedof the truth of a religion connected with such a prophecy as this. Apresent sign was given of the remote event predicted, in a visiblefissure being miraculously made on the altar. Incensed at the man’slicense of speech, Jeroboam stretched out his hand and ordered hisattendants to seize the bold intruder. That moment the king’s armbecame stiff and motionless, and the altar split asunder, so that thefire and ashes fell on the floor. Overawed by the effects of hisimpiety, Jeroboam besought the prophet’s prayer. His request wasacceded to, and the hand was restored to its healthy state. Jeroboamwas artful, and invited the prophet to the royal table, not to do himhonor or show his gratitude for the restoration of his hand, but towin, by his courtesy and liberal hospitality, a person whom he couldnot crush by his power. But the prophet informed him of a divineinjunction expressly prohibiting him from all social intercourse withany in the place, as well as from returning the same way. Theprohibition not to eat or drink in Beth-el was because all the peoplehad become apostates from the true religion, and the reason he wasnot allowed to return the same way was lest he should be recognizedby any whom he had seen in going.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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, such as depend upon the will of men; for what more so than giving a name to a child?
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; all which was fulfilled by Josiah, 2Ki 23:15, it may be read, “the bones of a man”, which the Jews understand of Jeroboam; but may only signify that, instead of the bones of beasts, which were burnt on it, the bones of men should be burnt, and even of the priests themselves; a glaring proof this of the truth of prophecy, and of divine revelation.
a Pirke Eliezer, c. 17.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(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 part of the original prophetic utterance. The latter supposition is in itself not unlikely. But the mention of the name in prediction is exemplified in the well-known reference to Cyrus in Isa. 44:28; and in this instance, as perhaps also in that, the name is significant (for Josiah means one healed or helped by Jehovah), and is not, therefore, a mere artificial detail. The particularity of prediction, which is on all hands recognised as exceptional, will be credible or incredible to us, according to the view which we take of the nature of prophetic prediction. If we resolve it into the intuitive sagacity of an inspired mind forecasting the future, because it sees more clearly than ordinary minds the germs of that future in the present, the particularity must seem incredible. If, on the other hand, we believe it to be the supernatural gift of a power to enter, in some measure, into the mind of God, in whose fore- knowledge all the future is already seen and ordained, then it will be to us simply unusual, but in no sense incredible, that from time to time foreknowledge of details, as well as generalities, should be granted. It is beyond controversy that the latter view is the one put forward in Holy Scripture, both in the Old Testament and in the New. Prophecy is, indeed, something higher and greater than supernatural prediction; but it claims to include such prediction, both as a test of mission from God, and as a necessary part of its revelation of the dispensations of God. On the fulfilment of this prediction, see 2Ki. 23:15-20.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Josiah by name This precise description of a future event, and naming of the chief person, is, of course, with the rationalists, ample proof that the whole thing was written after the events had occurred. But all their reasoning proceeds from the gratuitous assumption that such predictions could never have thus occurred, and that all such records of the supernatural are mythical or legendary. The devout believer sees in this accurate portrayal of a future event only one instance out of many in the chain of Old Testament history and revelation. Isaac, (Gen 17:19,) Solomon, (1Ch 22:9,) and Cyrus, (Isa 45:1,) were also named before their birth. For the literal fulfilment of this prophecy, see 2Ki 23:15-20.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(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. (3) 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.
Let us pause to admire the faithfulness of the Lord’s servant in thus executing his warrant in the king’s presence. Observe how he executed his commission. He cried no doubt with a loud voice. And observe to whom he spoke; not to man, but to the altar. When men refuse to hear we find the Lord calling upon the inanimate parts of creation to attend. That is a beautiful instance in point, Hear O heavens, and give ear O earth. Isa 1:2 . The prophecy he delivered was not to take place for more than 350 years, and yet the prophet mentions the very name of the prince by whom it should be accomplished. But perhaps what galled Jeroboam most was, that the house of David was so honorably spoken of. Yes! what galls Satan and his race most, is Jesus’s name and cross. Here, Reader, therefore, let you and I, like Paul, glory. Gal 6:14 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 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.
Ver. 2. And he cried against the altar. ] Directing his speech to it out of detestation of such an abomination: and as having no hope to prevail with Jeroboam, who stood by it, and was more insensible than that altar, or than the heap of stones that Bede once preached unto.
Behold, a child shall be born.
And men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.] Other men’s bones beside priests’. Jeroboam’s likely, who upon this prophecy should have made all “the stones of his altars as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder: this is all the fruit, to take away his sin,.” Isa 27:9
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
O altar, altar. Figures of speech Apostrophe and Epizeuxis.
child = son.
Josiah by name. Cyrus is the only other so foretold (177 years before). Josiah knew (2Ki 23:17, 2Ki 23:18). Cyrus knew (2Ch 36:22, 2Ch 36:23. Isa 44:28).
offer (in sacrifice) = slay, or slaughter. App-43.
men’s: human. Hebrew. ‘adam. App-14.
shall be. This was fulfilled in 2Ki 23:16 (360 years later).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
O altar: Deu 32:1, Isa 1:2, Isa 58:1, Jer 22:29, Eze 36:1, Eze 36:4, Eze 38:4, Luk 19:40
Josiah by name: 2Ki 22:1, 2Ki 22:2, 2Ki 23:15-18, 2Ch 34:1, 2Ch 34:4-7, Isa 42:9, Isa 44:26-28, Isa 46:10, Isa 48:5-7
offer: 2Ki 23:15-17
Reciprocal: Lev 10:1 – put incense Lev 26:30 – I will destroy 1Ki 13:32 – the saying 1Ki 20:35 – in the word 2Ki 2:2 – Bethel 2Ki 17:23 – as he had said 2Ki 17:27 – one of the priests 2Ki 23:16 – burned 2Ki 23:20 – he slew 2Ch 34:5 – he Ecc 3:2 – time to be born Isa 7:2 – the house Jer 8:1 – General Eze 6:4 – and I Eze 37:4 – Prophesy Hos 10:8 – their altars Amo 3:14 – I will Mat 1:10 – Josias
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 13:2. He cried against the altar And consequently against all the worship performed at it. O altar, altar He directs his speech against the altar, because the following signs were to be wrought upon it. Behold, a child shall be born, &c. This prophecy is the more wonderful, because it foretels of what family the child should spring, and what should be his name; and in the accomplishment of it we see the absolute certainty of Gods providence and foreknowledge, even in the most contingent things. For the particulars here mentioned, namely, the having a child, and the giving it this name, were in themselves things as uncertain, dependent on mans will, and contingent as any events can be: and yet God exactly foretold them, and they came to pass accordingly. God therefore can foresee how the will of man, and of numbers of men, whose wills are dependant on each other, will be influenced in all possible circumstances, and that for ages to come; or, he can certainly and effectually, and yet without infringing or violating mans liberty, overrule his will which way he pleaseth; otherwise it was possible this prediction might have been false, which it would be blasphemy to assert. Upon it shall he offer the priests The meaning is not that he should offer or burn the priests alive, but that he should slay the priests of the high places, and then burn their bones, as he did the bones of those that had been buried, and thereby should defile this altar. How bold was the man that durst thus attack the king in his pride, and interrupt the solemnity in which he gloried! Those who are sent on Gods errand, must not fear the faces of men. Although it was so many ages ere this prophecy was to be fulfilled, the time is spoken of as sure and nigh at hand. For a thousand years are with God as one day.