1 Kings 13:20
New International Version
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back.

New Living Translation
Then while they were sitting at the table, a command from the LORD came to the old prophet.

English Standard Version
And as they sat at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back.

Berean Standard Bible
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;

New American Standard Bible
Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;

NASB 1995
Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;

NASB 1977
Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of Yahweh came to the prophet who had brought him back;

Amplified Bible
Now it happened as they were sitting at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back.

Christian Standard Bible
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet that brought him back;

Contemporary English Version
During the meal the LORD gave the old prophet

English Revised Version
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:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When they were sitting at the table, the LORD spoke his word to the old prophet who had brought back the man of God.

Good News Translation
As they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet,

International Standard Version
Later, while they were sitting down at the table, a message from the LORD was delivered to the prophet who had brought him back,

Majority Standard Bible
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,

NET Bible
While they were sitting at the table, the LORD spoke through the old prophet

New Heart English Bible
It happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who brought him back;

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet that brought him back:

World English Bible
As they sat at the table, Yahweh’s word came to the prophet who brought him back;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass—they are sitting at the table—and [there] is a word of YHWH to the prophet who brought him back,

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass -- they are sitting at the table -- and a word of Jehovah is unto the prophet who brought him back,

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be, they sitting at the table, and the word of Jehovah will be to the prophet who turned him back:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And as they sat at table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet that brought him back:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And while they were sitting at table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had led him back.

New American Bible
But while they were sitting at table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,

New Revised Standard Version
As they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
- - -

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And as they were sitting at the table, the word of LORD JEHOVAH came upon the Prophet who brought him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass while they were sitting at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet that brought him back;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Old Prophet and the Man of God
19but the man of God went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water. 20While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back, 21and 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,…

Cross References
1 Samuel 15:22-23
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. / For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”

2 Kings 17:13-14
Yet through all His prophets and seers, the LORD warned Israel and Judah, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways and keep My commandments and statutes, according to the entire Law that I commanded your fathers and delivered to you through My servants the prophets.” / But they would not listen, and they stiffened their necks like their fathers, who did not believe the LORD their God.

Jeremiah 7:25-26
From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets again and again. / Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.

Jeremiah 35:15
Again and again I have sent you all My servants the prophets, proclaiming: ‘Turn now, each of you, from your wicked ways, and correct your actions. Do not go after other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Matthew 24:11
and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.

Luke 11:49-51
Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and others they will persecute.’ / As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Acts 13:6-12
They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, / an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, a man of intelligence, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. / But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ...

Romans 16:17-18
Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. / For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

Galatians 1:8-9
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse! / As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. / For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, ...

1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. / So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet that brought him back:

the word of the Lord

1 Kings 13:23
And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back.

Genesis 22:11
And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Numbers 23:5,16
And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak…

Numbers 24:4,16-24
He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: …

Matthew 7:22
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

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Prophet Sat Seated Sitting Table Word
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Prophet Sat Seated Sitting Table Word
1 Kings 13
1. Jeroboam's hand withers
6. and at the prayer of the prophet is restored
7. The prophet departs from Bethel
11. An old prophet brings him back
20. He is reproved by God
23. slain by a lion
26. buried by the old prophet
31. who confirms the prophecy
33. Jeroboam's obstinacy














While they were sitting at the table
This phrase sets the scene in a domestic and seemingly peaceful setting, indicating a moment of fellowship and hospitality. In ancient Near Eastern culture, sharing a meal was a significant act of communion and trust. The Hebrew word for "table" (שֻׁלְחָן, shulchan) often symbolizes a place of provision and blessing. This setting contrasts with the impending divine message, highlighting the unexpected nature of God's interventions in ordinary moments.

the word of the LORD
This phrase is central to the narrative, emphasizing the divine authority and the prophetic nature of the message. In Hebrew, "word" is דָּבָר (dabar), which implies not just spoken words but a matter or thing that carries weight and authority. The "word of the LORD" signifies a direct communication from God, underscoring the seriousness and truth of the message. It reflects the biblical theme that God speaks into human history, guiding, correcting, and revealing His will.

came to the prophet
The phrase indicates the divine initiative in communication. The Hebrew verb for "came" (הָיָה, hayah) suggests an occurrence or event, emphasizing that the prophetic message is an event in itself, a moment of divine revelation. The prophet, as a chosen vessel, receives this message, highlighting the role of prophets as intermediaries between God and His people. This underscores the biblical principle that God chooses specific individuals to convey His messages, often in unexpected ways.

who had brought him back
This phrase refers to the prophet from Bethel who had previously deceived the man of God. It highlights the complexity of human actions and divine sovereignty. The Hebrew root for "brought back" (שׁוּב, shuv) means to return or restore, which is ironic in this context, as the prophet's actions led to disobedience. This serves as a reminder of the consequences of straying from God's commands and the intricate interplay between human free will and divine purpose.

(20) The word of the Lord came.--It is, perhaps, the most terrible feature in the history that the Divine sentence is spoken--no doubt, as in the case of Balaam, unwillingly--through the very lips which by falsehood had lured the prophet of Judah from the right path, and at the very table of treacherous hospitality. Josephus, with his perverse tendency to explain away all that seems startling, misses this point entirely, and assigns the revelation to the prophet of Judah himself. Striking as this incident is, it is perhaps a symbol of a general law constantly exemplifying itself, that the voice of worldly wisdom first beguiles the servants of God to disobedience by false glosses on their duty to Him, and then proclaims unsparingly their sin and its just punishment.

Verse 20. - And it came to pass, as they sat at the table [cf. Psalm 78:30. He is taken in the act, "even in the blossoms of his sin"], that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
While they
הֵ֥ם (hêm)
Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They

were sitting
יֹשְׁבִ֖ים (yō·šə·ḇîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

at
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the table,
הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן (haš·šul·ḥān)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7979: A table, a meal

the word
דְּבַר־ (də·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

came
וַיְהִ֕י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the prophet
הַנָּבִ֖יא (han·nā·ḇî)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet

who
אֲשֶׁ֥ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

had brought him back,
הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃ (hĕ·šî·ḇōw)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again


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OT History: 1 Kings 13:20 It happened as they sat at (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 13:19
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