1 Kings 13:21

KJV

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,

KJV (with Strong's)

And he cried {H7121} unto the man {H376} of God {H430} that came {H935} from Judah {H3063}, saying {H559}, Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, Forasmuch as {H3282} thou hast disobeyed {H4784} the mouth {H6310} of the LORD {H3068}, and hast not kept {H8104} the commandment {H4687} which the LORD {H3068} thy God {H430} commanded {H6680} thee,

Complete Jewish Bible

and he cried to the man of God who had come from Y'hudah, "Here is what ADONAI says: 'Since you rebelled against the word of ADONAI and didn't obey the mitzvah ADONAI your God gave you,

Berean Standard Bible

and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the commandment that the LORD your God gave you,

American Standard Version

and he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, Forasmuch as thou hast been disobedient unto the mouth of Jehovah, and hast not kept the commandment which Jehovah thy God commanded thee,

Commentary

### SUMMARY
This verse records the solemn pronouncement of divine judgment delivered by the old prophet of Bethel against the unnamed man of God from Judah. Having been deceived by the old prophet into disobeying a direct command from the LORD, the man of God now hears his fate declared: he has "disobeyed the mouth of the LORD" and failed to keep the specific commandment given to him. This pivotal moment underscores the absolute gravity of divine commands and the severe consequences of even seemingly minor deviations from God's explicit instructions.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** 1 Kings 13:21 is the grim climax of a brief but intensely dramatic narrative found in 1 Kings 13. The chapter opens with the man of God from Judah delivering a powerful prophecy against King Jeroboam's idolatrous altar at Bethel, immediately confirmed by a miraculous sign and the withering and restoration of Jeroboam's hand ([1 Kings 13:1-6](/1_kings/13-1 "1 Kings 13 - The Man of God and Jeroboam")). Crucially, the LORD had given the man of God an explicit, non-negotiable command: he was not to eat or drink in Bethel, nor return by the same way ([1 Kings 13:9](/1_kings/13-9 "1 Kings 13:9 - The LORD's Command to the Man of God")). However, an old prophet living in Bethel, hearing of these events, actively sought out the man of God and, through a deliberate lie, persuaded him to return to his home and eat and drink ([1 Kings 13:11-19](/1_kings/13-11 "1 Kings 13:11-19 - The Deception of the Old Prophet")). Verse 21 occurs immediately after the man of God has eaten, revealing the old prophet, now supernaturally compelled by the LORD, as the messenger of judgment against the very man he deceived. This sets the stage for the tragic fulfillment of the judgment in the subsequent verses ([1 Kings 13:23-24](/1_kings/13-23 "1 Kings 13:23-24 - The Lion's Judgment")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The events of 1 Kings 13 take place early in the divided monarchy, shortly after the schism between Judah and Israel. King Jeroboam I, fearing that continued worship at Jerusalem would lead his people back to Rehoboam, established alternative worship centers at Bethel and Dan, complete with golden calves ([1 Kings 12:26-33](/1_kings/12-26 "1 Kings 12:26-33 - Jeroboam's Idolatry")). This act of religious innovation, directly violating Mosaic law, was a profound spiritual rebellion. Prophets played a critical role in ancient Israel, serving as God's direct messengers, often challenging kings and religious establishments. Their authority stemmed entirely from the accuracy and divine origin of their words. The cultural expectation was that a true prophet's word was the word of God, and disobedience to it was disobedience to God Himself. The setting of Bethel, once a holy place associated with Jacob's vision ([Genesis 28:10-22](/genesis/28-10 "Genesis 28:10-22 - Jacob's Ladder at Bethel")), had become a center of Jeroboam's idolatry, making the man of God's mission there particularly significant as a direct confrontation with false worship.
* **Key Themes:** This chapter, and specifically verse 21, powerfully illustrates several key themes. The most prominent is the **absolute necessity of obedience to God's explicit commands**. The man of God's initial powerful ministry is overshadowed by his single act of disobedience, highlighting that even a prophet's anointing does not exempt him from accountability. Another theme is the **unwavering integrity of God's word and judgment**. Despite the deception, God's original command remains binding, and His judgment is executed, even through an unlikely and morally compromised messenger. The narrative also explores the theme of **spiritual discernment**; the man of God failed to test the old prophet's word against the clear, previously received word from the LORD, a principle emphasized in passages like [Deuteronomy 13:1-5](/deuteronomy/13-1 "Deuteronomy 13:1-5 - Testing False Prophets"). Finally, the story serves as a stark warning against **compromise and the dangers of listening to voices that contradict God's clear revelation**, even if those voices claim divine authority.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **disobeyed (Hebrew, מָרָה _marah'_):** This verb signifies rebellion, defiance, or being contentious. It implies a deliberate act of resistance against authority, rather than a mere oversight or mistake. In this context, it emphasizes that the man of God's failure was not simply a lapse in judgment but a direct contravention of a known divine directive, implying a willful turning away from God's specific instruction.
* **mouth of the LORD (Hebrew, פִּי יְהוָה _pi YHWH_):** This idiomatic phrase emphasizes the direct, personal, and authoritative nature of God's command. It signifies that the instruction came straight from God's own utterance, leaving no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation regarding its divine origin and binding force. It highlights that the man of God's transgression was against God's very word, not merely a general principle or a human suggestion.
* **commandment (Hebrew, מִצְוָה _mitzvah_):** This term refers to a specific divine injunction or precept. It denotes a clear, concrete instruction that God has given, which requires a corresponding act of obedience. The use of "commandment" here underscores that the man of God's failure was not a vague spiritual principle but a precise, actionable order that he consciously failed to uphold.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying,"**: This clause establishes the speaker (the old prophet) and the recipient (the man of God from Judah), setting the scene for the pronouncement. The verb "cried" (וַיִּקְרָא, _vayyiqra'_) suggests a solemn, perhaps even urgent, declaration, indicating the gravity of the message about to be delivered. It's a dramatic reversal, as the deceiver now becomes the unwilling instrument of divine judgment.
* **"Thus saith the LORD,"**: This is the prophetic formula, authenticating the message as directly from God. It indicates that the old prophet is not speaking his own words or thoughts, but is under divine compulsion, delivering a message that is not his own. This adds immense weight and undeniable authority to the judgment that follows, making it clear that this is God's verdict, not a human accusation.
* **"Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD,"**: This is the first charge against the man of God. It directly states his primary offense: a willful act of rebellion or defiance against a command that came directly and explicitly from God Himself. The phrase "mouth of the LORD" highlights the supreme authority and clarity of the original instruction, making the disobedience all the more egregious.
* **"and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,"**: This clause reiterates and reinforces the first charge, emphasizing the failure to uphold a specific, divinely issued instruction. "Not kept" (לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ, _lo shamar'ta_) implies a failure to guard, observe, or fulfill the command. The repetition underscores the seriousness of the transgression and leaves no doubt as to the nature of the man of God's sin: a direct and conscious breach of God's explicit word.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative of 1 Kings 13:21 employs several potent literary devices. **Irony** is profoundly present, as the very prophet who orchestrated the man of God's disobedience is now compelled by God to pronounce the judgment against him. This highlights God's sovereign control, using even compromised individuals to fulfill His righteous purposes. There is also clear **foreshadowing** in this verse; the declaration of disobedience and the specific nature of the judgment (implied by the severity of the charge) immediately precede the tragic death of the man of God by a lion, which serves as the physical manifestation of God's word. Furthermore, the narrative employs **contrast** between the man of God's initial faithfulness and powerful prophetic ministry and his ultimate failure due to a single act of disobedience. This stark contrast serves to underscore the absolute seriousness of God's commands and the high standard of obedience expected, especially from those in positions of spiritual authority.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
1 Kings 13:21 stands as a stark testament to the unwavering nature of God's commands and the absolute seriousness with which He regards obedience. The man of God's initial success and divine anointing did not exempt him from the consequences of direct disobedience. This incident serves as a powerful warning that even those who perform great works for God must remain vigilant in their personal walk of obedience. It underscores the principle that God's word, once clearly given, cannot be overridden by subsequent, contradictory claims, even if they appear to be from a divine source. True spiritual discernment demands testing all messages against the established truth of God's revelation.

* [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "Obedience Better Than Sacrifice")
* [Deuteronomy 13:1-5](/deuteronomy/13-1 "Warning Against False Prophets")
* [Hebrews 10:26-27](/hebrews/10-26 "Deliberate Sin and Judgment")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The tragic account of the man of God from Judah offers profound and sobering lessons for believers today. It compels us to examine the integrity of our own obedience to God's clear Word. In a world saturated with competing voices and claims, this narrative reminds us that our ultimate authority must always be the explicit commands of the LORD, as revealed in Scripture. We are called to cultivate a deep spiritual discernment, testing every spirit and every message against the unchanging truth of God's revelation, rather than relying on subjective feelings, external pressures, or even the seemingly spiritual pronouncements of others that contradict what God has already clearly spoken. The story challenges us to consider that even a single act of disobedience, particularly to a clear command, can have devastating consequences, not only for ourselves but potentially for our witness and ministry. It calls us to a life of unwavering faithfulness, understanding that our walk with God is defined by our willingness to humbly and consistently obey His voice above all others.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **Where in my life might I be tempted to compromise a clear command of God due to external pressure, convenience, or a seemingly "spiritual" alternative?**
* **How does this story challenge my understanding of spiritual authority and discernment in my own life and in the church community?**
* **What steps can I take to deepen my commitment to God's explicit Word and guard against deception, even from unexpected sources?**

### FAQ
**Why was the man of God punished so severely for what seemed like a simple act of eating and drinking, especially since he was deceived?**

Answer: The severity of the punishment highlights the absolute gravity of disobeying a direct, explicit command from the LORD, especially for a prophet who was a direct messenger of God. The issue was not merely eating and drinking, but a direct breach of God's "mouth" and "commandment" ([1 Kings 13:21](/1_kings/13-21 "1 Kings 13:21 - The Old Prophet's Judgment")). While he was deceived by the old prophet ([1 Kings 13:18](/1_kings/13-18 "1 Kings 13:18 - The Old Prophet's Lie")), the ultimate responsibility for obedience rested with the man of God. He had received a clear, unambiguous word from God himself, and he failed to test the old prophet's contradictory message against that original divine instruction. This underscores the principle that God holds His servants to a high standard of faithfulness to His revealed will, and that even deception does not fully absolve one from the consequences of disobedience to a known command.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The tragic narrative of the man of God from Judah, marked by his fatal disobedience, finds its ultimate contrast and fulfillment in the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ. Where the man of God failed to keep the commandment from the "mouth of the LORD," Jesus perfectly embodied the Word of God, declaring, "I always do what pleases him" ([John 8:29](/john/8-29 "John 8:29 - Jesus Always Pleases the Father")). Unlike the man of God who succumbed to temptation, Jesus resisted every allure, even in the wilderness, by quoting and upholding the very Word of God ([Matthew 4:1-11](/matthew/4-1 "Matthew 4:1-11 - The Temptation of Jesus")). The judgment pronounced in 1 Kings 13:21 points to the universal consequence of sin, which is death ([Romans 6:23](/romans/6-23 "Romans 6:23 - The Wages of Sin is Death")), a fate the man of God experienced. However, Jesus, the true Lamb of God, willingly took upon Himself the judgment for humanity's disobedience, dying on the cross to fulfill the righteous requirements of God's law and to offer salvation to all who believe ([Romans 5:19](/romans/5-19 "Romans 5:19 - Obedience of One, Righteousness for Many"); [2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). Thus, the story of the disobedient prophet serves as a somber backdrop, illuminating the unparalleled and life-giving obedience of Christ, through whom we find forgiveness and the power to obey God's voice.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.