1 Kings

1 Kings 13:1–5

¹Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD. ²And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”^a

³That day the man of God gave a sign, saying, “The LORD has spoken this sign: ‘Surely the altar will be split apart, and the ashes upon it will be poured out.’”

⁴Now when King Jeroboam, who was at the altar in Bethel, heard the word that the man of God had cried out against it, he stretched out his hand and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward him withered, so that he could not pull it back. ⁵And the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

Footnotes

a 13:2 See 2 Kings 23:16|2KI 23:16.

Read all of 1 Kings 13

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Kings 13:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Suddenly	וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀	wə·hin·nêh	Conjunctive waw; Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
as Jeroboam	וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם	wə·yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3379 Jeroboam
was standing	עֹמֵ֥ד	‘ō·mêḏ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
beside	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
to burn incense	לְהַקְטִֽיר׃	lə·haq·ṭîr	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H6999 make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke
there came	בָּ֧א	bā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
a man	אִ֣ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
of God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
from Judah	מִיהוּדָ֛ה	mî·hū·ḏāh	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3063 Judah
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Bethel	אֵ֑ל	’êl	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1008 Bethel
by the word	בִּדְבַ֥ר	biḏ·ḇar	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

1 Kings 13:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And he cried out	וַיִּקְרָ֤א	way·yiq·rā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
by the word	בִּדְבַ֣ר	biḏ·ḇar	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
O altar	מִזְבֵּ֣חַ	miz·bê·aḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
O altar	מִזְבֵּ֔חַ	miz·bê·aḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
this is what	כֹּ֖ה	kōh	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
says	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
A son	בֵ֞ן	ḇên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
named	שְׁמ֔וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
Josiah	יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ	yō·šî·yā·hū	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2977 Joshijah
will be born	נוֹלָ֤ד	nō·w·lāḏ	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
to the house	לְבֵית־	lə·ḇêṯ-	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of David	דָּוִד֙	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
and upon you	עָלֶ֗יךָ	‘ā·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5921 height
he will sacrifice	וְזָבַ֣ח	wə·zā·ḇaḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
the priests	כֹּהֲנֵ֤י	kō·hă·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H3548 priest
of the high places	הַבָּמוֹת֙	hab·bā·mō·wṯ	Article; Noun - feminine plural	H1116 high place
who burn incense	הַמַּקְטִרִ֣ים	ham·maq·ṭi·rîm	Article; Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural	H6999 make sacrifices smoke, send them up in smoke
upon you	עָלֶ֔יךָ	‘ā·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5921 height
and human	אָדָ֖ם	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
bones	וְעַצְמ֥וֹת	wə·‘aṣ·mō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct	H6106 bone, substance, self
will be burned	יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ	yiś·rə·p̄ū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H8313 burn
upon you	עָלֶֽיךָ׃	‘ā·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H5921 height

1 Kings 13:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
That	הַה֤וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
day	בַּיּ֨וֹם	bay·yō·wm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
gave	וְנָתַן֩	wə·nā·ṯan	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
a sign	מוֹפֵת֙	mō·w·p̄êṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H4159 wonder, sign, portent
saying	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
The LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has spoken	דִּבֶּ֣ר	dib·ber	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H1696 speak
this	זֶ֣ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
sign	הַמּוֹפֵ֔ת	ham·mō·w·p̄êṯ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4159 wonder, sign, portent
Surely	הִנֵּ֤ה	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
will be split apart	נִקְרָ֔ע	niq·rā‘	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular	H7167 tear
and the ashes	הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן	had·de·šen	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1880 fatness, fat ashes
upon it	עָלָֽיו׃	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
will be poured out	וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ	wə·niš·paḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H8210 pour out, pour

1 Kings 13:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now when	וַיְהִי֩	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
King	הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ	ham·me·leḵ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king
Jeroboam	יָרָבְעָ֧ם	yā·rā·ḇə·‘ām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3379 Jeroboam
who was at	מֵעַ֥ל	mê·‘al	Preposition-m	H5921 height
the altar	הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ	ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
in	בְּבֵֽית־	bə·ḇêṯ-	Preposition	H1008 Bethel
Bethel	אֵ֔ל	’êl	Preposition; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1008 Bethel
heard	כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ	ḵiš·mō·a‘	Preposition-k; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H8085 hear
the word	דְּבַ֣ר	də·ḇar	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
that	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the man	אִישׁ־	’îš-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
of God	הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
had cried out	קָרָ֤א	qā·rā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
he stretched out	וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
his hand	יָד֛וֹ	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
and said	לֵאמֹ֣ר׀	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Seize him	תִּפְשֻׂ֑הוּ	tip̄·śu·hū	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H8610 lay hold of, wield
But the hand	יָדוֹ֙	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
he stretched out	שָׁלַ֣ח	šā·laḥ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
toward him	עָלָ֔יו	‘ā·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H5921 height
withered	וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ	wat·tî·ḇaš	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3001 be dry, dried up, withered
so that he could	יָכֹ֖ל	yā·ḵōl	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3201 be able, have power, prevail, endure
not	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
pull it back	לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ	la·hă·šî·ḇāh	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person feminine singular	H7725 turn back, return

1 Kings 13:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And the altar	וְהַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ	wə·ham·miz·bê·aḥ	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4196 altar
was split apart	נִקְרָ֔ע	niq·rā‘	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7167 tear
and the ashes	הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן	had·de·šen	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1880 fatness, fat ashes
poured out	וַיִּשָּׁפֵ֥ךְ	way·yiš·šā·p̄êḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8210 pour out, pour
according to the sign	כַּמּוֹפֵ֗ת	kam·mō·w·p̄êṯ	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4159 wonder, sign, portent
that	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
the man	אִ֥ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
of God	הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
had given	נָתַ֛ן	nā·ṯan	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
by the word	בִּדְבַ֥ר	biḏ·ḇar	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh