TRV
Translation
King James Version
And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
Complete Jewish Bible
He replied, "I cannot return with you or partake of your hospitality, nor will I eat food or drink water with you in this place;
Berean Standard Bible
But the man replied, “I cannot return with you or eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
American Standard Version
And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
World English Bible Messianic
He said, “I may not return with you, nor go in with you; neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place.
Geneva Bible (1599)
But he answered, I may not returne with thee, nor go in with thee, neither wil I eate bread nor drinke water with thee in this place.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `I am not able to turn back with thee, and to go in with thee, nor do I eat bread or drink with thee water in this place,
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In the KJVVerse 9,201 of 31,102
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Commentary on 1 Kings 13 verses 11–22
11 ¶ Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father.
12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.
13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon,
14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
18 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.
19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:
21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,
22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
The man of God had honestly and resolutely refused the king's invitation, though he promised him a reward; yet he was over-persuaded by an old prophet to come back with him, and dine in Beth-el, contrary to the command given him. Here we find how dearly his dinner cost him. Observe with wonder,
I. The old prophet's wickedness. I cannot but call him a false prophet and a bad man, it being much easier to believe that from one of such a bad character should be extorted a confirmation of what the man of God said (as we find, Kg1 13:32) than that a true prophet, and a good man, should tell such a deliberate lie as he did, and father it upon God. A good tree could never bring forth such corrupt fruit. Perhaps he was trained up among the sons of the prophets, in one of Samuel's colleges not far off, whence he retained the name of a prophet, but, growing worldly and profane, the spirit of prophecy had departed from him. If he had been a good prophet he would have reproved Jeroboam's idolatry, and not have suffered his sons to attend his altars, as, it should seem, they did. Now, 1. Whether he had any good design in fetching back the man of God is not certain. One may hope that he did it in compassion to him, concluding he wanted refreshment, and out of a desire to be better acquainted with him and more fully to understand his errand than he could from the report of his sons; yet his sons having told him all that passed, and particularly that the prophet was forbidden to eat or drink there, which he had openly told Jeroboam, I suppose it was done with a bad design, to draw him into a snare, and so to expose him; for false prophets have ever been the worst enemies to the true prophets, usually aiming to destroy them, but sometimes, as here, to debauch them and draw them from their duty. Thus they gave the Nazarites wine to drink (Amo 2:12), that they might glory in their fall. But, 2. It is certain that he took a very bad method to bring him back. When the man of God had told him, "I may not, and therefore I will not, return to eat bread with thee" (his resolutions concurring with the divine command, Kg1 13:16, Kg1 13:17), he wickedly pretended that he had an order from heaven to fetch him back. He imposed upon him by asserting his quondam character as a prophet: I am a prophet also as thou art; he pretended he had a vision of an angel that sent him on this errand. But it was all a lie; it was a banter upon prophecy, and profane in the highest degree. When this old prophet is spoken of (Kg2 23:18) he is called the prophet that came out of Samaria, whereas there was no such place as Samaria till long after, Kg1 16:24. Therefore I take it he is so called there, though he was of Beth-el, because he was like those who were afterwards the prophets of Samaria, who caused God's people Israel to err, Jer 23:13.
II. The good prophet's weakness, in suffering himself to be thus imposed upon: He went back with him, Kg1 13:19. He that had resolution enough to refuse the invitation of the king, who promised him a reward, could not resist the insinuations of one that pretended to be a prophet. God's people are more in danger of being drawn from their duty by the plausible pretences of divinity and sanctity than by external inducements; we have therefore need to beware of false prophets, and not believe every spirit.
III. The proceedings of divine justice hereupon; and here we may well wonder that the wicked prophet, who told the lie and did the mischief, went unpunished, while the holy man of God, that was drawn by him into sin, was suddenly and severely punished for it. What shall we make of this! The judgments of God are unfathomable. The deceived and the deceiver are his, and he giveth not account of any of his matters. Certainly there must be a judgment to come, when these things will be called over again, and when those that sinned most and suffered least, in this world, will receive according to their works. 1. The message delivered to the man of God was strange. His crime is recited, Kg1 13:21, Kg1 13:22. It was, in one word, disobedience to an express command. Judgment is given upon it: Thy carcase shall not come to the sepulchre of thy fathers, that is, "Thou shalt never reach thy own house, but shalt be a carcase quickly, nor shall thy dead body be brought to the place of thy fathers' sepulchres, to be interred." 2. Yet it was more strange that the old prophet himself should be the messenger. Of this we can give no account but that God would have it so, as he spoke to Balaam by his ass and read Saul his doom by the devil in Samuel's likeness. We may think God designed hereby, (1.) To startle the lying prophet, and make him sensible of his sin. The message could not but affect him the more when he himself had the delivering of it, and had so strong an impression made upon his spirit by it that he cried out, as one in an agony, Kg1 13:21. He had reason to think, if he must die for his disobedience in a small matter who sinned by surprise, of how much sorer punishment he should be thought worthy who had belied an angel of God and cheated a man of God by a deliberate forgery. If this were done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry? Perhaps it had a good effect upon him. Those who preach God's wrath to others have hard hearts indeed if they fear it not themselves. (2.) To put the greater mortification upon the prophet that was deceived, and to show what those must expect who hearken to the great deceiver. Those that yield to him as a tempter will be terrified by him as a tormentor; whom he now fawns upon he will afterwards fly upon, and whom he now draws into sin he will do what he can to drive to despair.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 11–22. Public domain.
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SUMMARY
1 Kings 13:16 records the unwavering initial resolve of the unnamed man of God from Judah, as he firmly reiterates his commitment to a direct divine prohibition. Despite an offer of hospitality from an old prophet, he declares his absolute refusal to eat, drink, or return with him, demonstrating a clear understanding and steadfast adherence to God's explicit command not to partake in anything in Bethel or deviate from his prescribed path.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices. Repetition is evident as the man of God's words directly echo the divine command given in 1 Kings 13:9, reinforcing his clear understanding and initial commitment to the precise terms of God's instruction. This strong declaration also serves as powerful foreshadowing, ironically setting the stage for his tragic later fall. His steadfastness here makes his subsequent disobedience, brought about by deception, even more poignant and highlights the profound danger of subtle temptation. Furthermore, the man of God's unwavering stance creates a stark contrast with the deceptive nature of the old prophet's invitation, establishing a clear moral and spiritual dichotomy between true, uncompromising obedience and the insidious allure of compromise.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The man of God's initial refusal in 1 Kings 13:16 underscores a fundamental biblical principle: the absolute necessity of unreserved obedience to God's explicit commands. God's word is not subject to human negotiation, convenience, or even the seemingly good intentions of others. This narrative highlights the danger of external pressures, even from those who appear to be fellow believers or spiritual authorities, when they contradict a clear divine directive. It emphasizes the importance of spiritual discernment and the steadfast resolve required to maintain integrity in the face of temptation, reminding us that true faithfulness is demonstrated not only in what we do for God but also in what we refuse to do against His clear will.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse serves as a powerful and sobering reminder of the constant vigilance required to walk in obedience to God. In our lives, we frequently encounter situations where God's clear commands might seem inconvenient, socially awkward, or even challenged by well-meaning individuals or our own desires for comfort and acceptance. The man of God's initial response teaches us the profound importance of knowing God's word intimately, standing firm against any persuasion that would lead us astray, and exercising spiritual discernment, even when the source of temptation appears benign or even godly. His steadfastness here, though tragically short-lived in the broader narrative, offers a crucial lesson on the critical first step in faithful living: an immediate and unequivocal "I may not" when confronted with anything that contradicts God's revealed will.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was the command about eating and drinking so specific and important?
Answer: The command was highly specific because it served as a symbolic act of complete separation and non-fellowship from Jeroboam's idolatrous kingdom and its defiled worship in Bethel. Eating and drinking with someone in ancient Near Eastern culture signified fellowship, peace, and shared identity. By forbidding the man of God from partaking in any sustenance in "this place" (Bethel), God was underscoring the severity of Jeroboam's sin and ensuring the prophet's absolute dissociation from the spiritual pollution and rebellion against the true worship of Yahweh. It was a crucial test of his obedience, demonstrating that his loyalty was solely to God and His commands, not to human custom or comfort in a place of apostasy. This command also served as a prophetic sign, demonstrating God's rejection of Jeroboam's illegitimate religious system, as seen in 1 Kings 13:1-6.
What does "in this place" refer to?
Answer: "In this place" refers explicitly to Bethel, the city where King Jeroboam had established one of his golden calves as an alternative worship site to Jerusalem (1 Kings 12:28-30). By specifying "in this place," God emphasized the defilement of Bethel due to Jeroboam's idolatry and ensured that the man of God's mission, which included prophesying against the altar in Bethel, would be accompanied by a complete and visible separation from any association with the city's spiritual corruption. This geographical specificity highlighted the pervasive nature of the spiritual corruption that had taken root in the Northern Kingdom.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The man of God's initial, firm obedience in 1 Kings 13:16, though tragically marred by later compromise, points forward to the perfect, unwavering obedience of Jesus Christ. Unlike the man of God who eventually succumbed to deception, Jesus faced every temptation—from the devil in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) to the allure of worldly power—and never once deviated from His Father's will. He perfectly embodied the "I may not" when confronted with anything that contradicted God's divine command, famously declaring, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work" (John 4:34). Christ's entire life was a testament to uncompromising faithfulness, culminating in His ultimate obedience even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). He is the true Prophet who perfectly fulfilled the divine mandate, never compromising His message or mission for comfort, social acceptance, or deceptive counsel. Through His perfect obedience, Christ secured salvation for us, and by His indwelling Spirit, He empowers believers to live lives of increasing obedience, reflecting His own steadfast commitment to the Father's will (Romans 8:4).