Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 13:6
And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Entreat 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.
6. Intreat now the face of the Lord thy God ] Here the R.V. has adopted the rendering of the phrase by A.V. in Psa 119:58; Pro 19:6 “Intreat now the favour, &c.” The idea of the original word is that of soothing, so as to relax the frowns and anger of any one, and hence to gain favour instead of displeasure. We are not to conclude because Jeroboam says ‘the Lord thy God’ that he himself had ceased to acknowledge Jehovah. But in the present circumstances God was evidently more favourable to the prophet than to the king and this Jeroboam intends to express.
and pray for me ] These words are omitted in the LXX. ( Vat.).
besought the Lord ] The expression is exactly the same in the Hebrew as in the former part of the verse. So the R.V. has here ‘ intreated the Lord’. To insert ‘the favour’ a second time would make the verse read heavily, but there seems no reason for varying the verb.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 6. Entreat – the face of the Lord thy God] The face of God is his favour, as we see in many parts of the sacred writings. He says, thy God; for Jeroboam knew that he was not his God, for he was now in the very act of acknowledging other gods, and had no portion in the God of Jacob.
And the king’s hand was restored] Both miracles were wrought to show the truth of the Jewish religion, and to convince this bold innovator of his wickedness, and to reclaim him from the folly and ruinous tendency of his idolatry.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The king answered, i.e. spoke, as that word is oft used in both Testaments.
Entreat now the face of the Lord thy God, who by his zeal for time hath manifested himself to be thy God and Friend in a singular manner; and therefore will hear thy prayers for me, though he will not regard mine, because I have forsaken him and his worship.
The man of God besought the Lord, to assure Jeroboam that what he had said was not from ill-will to him, and that he heartily desired his reformation, not his ruin.
The kings hand was restored again; partly, to assure him that the stroke was from God; partly, because he repented of that violence which he intended against the prophet, for which God inflicted it; and partly, that the goodness of God to him might have led him to repentance; or if he continued impenitent, leave him without all excuse.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the king answered and said unto the man of God,…. In another tone than when he bid the people lay hold on him; not in a haughty, but humble manner; not as threatening, but supplicating:
entreat now the face of the Lord thy God; he does not say “my God”, for he had apostatized from him, and served other gods, but “thy” God, whose prophet he was, and who had an interest in him, as clearly appeared by what he had said and done by him;
and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again; not that the anger of God might be turned away from him, and he enjoy the divine favour, and have an application of pardoning grace made to him, only to have this outward mercy, this temporal favour restored to him, the use of his hand:
and the man of God besought the Lord; not rendering evil for evil; but being of a forgiving spirit, though the king had stretched out his hand against him, he lifted up his hands to heaven for him:
and the king’s hand was restored again, and became as it was before; which was another instance of divine power, and a further proof of the prophet’s divine mission; from whence it might be concluded, that what he had prophesied of would be fulfilled, and was an instance also of divine goodness to the king, which should have led him to repentance, but did not.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. Entreat now the face of the Lord More literally, Stroke the face. Caress; entreat so imploringly that you cannot be refused. The king’s alarm and momentary terror was like that of the sorcerer Simon. Act 8:24.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(6) 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.
Observe, Jeroboam prays the prophet to intercede for the recovery of his hand, but not his heart. Like another Pharaoh, he desired the punishment to be taken off, but not a word of the Lord’s making off the cause. And yet what could testify the merciful tenderness of the Lord to pardon sin more than thus instantly restoring Jeroboam’s hand at the instance of his servant. Precious Jesus! was not this interceding of the prophet a type of the ever-prevailing efficacy of thy intercession at the right hand of power, for the poor withered souls of thy people?
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 13:6 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.
Ver. 6. Intreat now the face – seek the favour for me – of the Lord thy God.] He could not say, My God, for he had chosen other gods, forsaken his own mercies, and was miserable by his own election.
And the king’s hand was restored again.] Such is the power of prayer. Jam 5:16 A like example we find in Nicephorns and Cedrenus, of a certain profane painter in Constantinople, who, assaying to paint Christ in the form of Jupiter, had his hand in like sort dried up and withered. But upon humble confession of his fault, he was healed again, at the devout prayer of Gennadius, bishop of that city.
And became as it was before.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thy God. He dare not say “my God”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
now: Exo 8:8, Exo 8:28, Exo 9:28, Exo 10:17, Exo 12:32, Num 21:7, 1Sa 12:19, Jer 37:3, Jer 42:2-4, Act 8:24, Jam 5:16, Rev 3:9
besought: Exo 8:12, Exo 8:13, Num 12:13, 1Sa 12:23, Mat 5:44, Luk 6:27, Luk 6:28, Luk 23:34, Act 7:60, Rom 12:14, Rom 12:21, Jam 5:16-18
Lord: Heb. face of the Lord
Reciprocal: Gen 20:7 – pray Num 12:11 – I beseech thee Deu 33:1 – the man Jdg 11:8 – the elders 2Ki 1:13 – besought Zec 7:2 – pray before the Lord Mar 3:5 – Stretch Luk 6:10 – Stretch
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 13:6. The king said, Entreat now the face of the Lord thy God Of him who hath manifested himself to be thy God and friend in a singular manner; and therefore will hear thy prayers for me, though he will not regard mine, because I have forsaken him and his worship. The man of God besought the Lord This he did to assure Jeroboam that what he had said was not from ill-will to him, and that he heartily desired his reformation, not his ruin. And the kings hand was restored God showed him this mercy, 1st, Because he repented of the violence intended against the prophet, for which his hand had been dried up: 2d, To assure him that the stroke was from God: and, 3d, That this goodness of God to him might lead him to repentance, or if he continued impenitent, might leave him without excuse.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, {e} 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.
(e) Though the wicked humble themselves for a time when they feel God’s judgment, they return to their old malice and declare that they are but vile hypocrites.