As he went on his way
This phrase indicates a journey, both physical and spiritual. The Hebrew root for "way" is "דֶּרֶךְ" (derekh), which often signifies a path or course of life. In the biblical context, one's "way" can symbolize obedience or disobedience to God's commands. The man of God was on a mission, yet his journey took a tragic turn due to his earlier disobedience. This serves as a reminder of the importance of steadfastness in following God's directives.

a lion met him
The lion, "אַרְיֵה" (aryeh) in Hebrew, is a symbol of power and judgment. In the ancient Near East, lions were both feared and revered, often seen as instruments of divine retribution. The encounter with the lion is not coincidental but a direct act of God, emphasizing His sovereignty and the seriousness of the prophet's disobedience. The lion's presence underscores the theme of divine justice.

on the road
The road, or "דֶּרֶךְ" (derekh), is again mentioned, reinforcing the idea of life's journey. The road is a place of transition and decision, where one can encounter both danger and opportunity. In this narrative, the road becomes a place of divine encounter and consequence, highlighting the unpredictability of life when one strays from God's path.

and killed him
The act of killing, "הָרַג" (harag) in Hebrew, is a stark reminder of the wages of sin. In the biblical narrative, death is often the ultimate consequence of disobedience. This phrase serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness with which God views His commands and the inevitable consequences of straying from them.

And his body was left lying on the road
The image of the body, "גּוּפָה" (guphah), lying on the road is one of disgrace and abandonment. In ancient Israelite culture, proper burial was a sign of honor and respect. The unattended body signifies the prophet's fall from grace and the dishonor brought upon himself through disobedience. It serves as a visual representation of the spiritual death that accompanies sin.

with the donkey and the lion standing beside it
The presence of both the donkey and the lion is significant. The donkey, "חֲמוֹר" (chamor), often symbolizes humility and service, while the lion represents power and judgment. Their peaceful coexistence beside the body is miraculous and signifies God's control over nature. This tableau serves as a testament to God's authority and the fulfillment of His word, as both the humble and the mighty stand witness to the consequences of disobedience.

(24) A lion.--The lion is noticed in the Old Testament not unfrequently, especially in Southern Palestine: at Timnath (Judges 14:5); near Bethlehem (1Samuel 17:34); at Kabzeel, in Judah (2Samuel 23:20); near Aphek (1Kings 20:36); in the thickets and forests of the Jordan valley (Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 5:6), &c. The lion of Palestine is probably of the variety still constantly found in the neighbourhood of Babylon; and the prevalence of lions is shown by the occurrence of such names as Lebaoth, or Bethlebaoth, "the house of lions" (see Joshua 15:32), and by the many names for the lion used in Scripture, as, for example, in Job 4:10-11. Now that the forests have disappeared from Palestine the lions have disappeared with them. . . . Verse 24. - And when he was gone [Heb. and he went], a lion (Lions were evidently numerous in Palestine in former days, though they are now extinct. This is proved by the names of places, such as Laish, Lebaoth, etc., and by the constant reference to them in Scripture. They had their lairs in the forests, one of which existed near Bethel (2 Kings 2:24), and especially in the thickets of the Jordan valley (Jeremiah 49:19; Zechariah 11:3).] met [Heb. found. The primary meaning of מָצָא is, no doubt, "found accidentally," "came upon" (εῦρεν, invenit), but it is often used of finding after a search (1 Samuel 9:4, etc.), and it should be remembered that this is the word used in vers. 14, 28] him by [in, as below] the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way [road, highway, ver. 25], and the ass stood [Heb. standing] by it, the lion also stood [standing] by the carcase. [These particulars are mentioned to show that his death was no accident, or chance, but a visitation of God. There are probably but few persons who have not felt that this summary punishment was marked by extreme severity; the more so, as the prophet was cruelly deceived, and that by a brother prophet, who claimed to have received a subsequent revelation, and whom, consequently, it appeared to be a duty to obey. And when it is observed that the really guilty person, the prophet of Bethel, so far as appears, escaped all punishment, and by his lie secured for himself respect for his remains, we seem to have a case of positive hardship and injustice. As I have discussed the question at some length elsewhere (Homil. Quart., vol. 4. pp. 214-221), it must suffice to say here that the difficulty is at once removed if we remember that although the Jewish dispensation was one of temporal recompenses, yet all the same there is a judgment hereafter. No doubt the man of God was punished for his disobedience, for inexcusable disobedience it was. It is quite true that he was solemnly assured that an angel had appeared to revoke his commission, but for this he had only the word of a stranger, of one, too, with whom he had been commanded "not even to eat." He had "the word of the Lord;" that is to say, the voice of God, borne in upon his soul, forbidding his return, and the word of an irreligious stranger, who gave no "sign the same day" in proof of his mission, authorizing it. There can be no doubt which he ought to have followed, the more so as the command he had himself received was so remarkably explicit and decisive (ver. 9); so decisive that we can hardly suppose he would have deviated from it, had not the pains of hunger and thirst pleaded powerfully in favour of the pretended revelation of the Bethelite prophet. Indeed, it is hardly too much to say that he eagerly welcomed this cause for returning. It is impossible, therefore, to acquit him of disobedience. Nor is it difficult to see that the consequences of this disobedience were serious. It was not as if he had disregarded a mere positive obligation, the only object of which was to test his obedience (Rawlinson); he had acted in a way calculated to destroy the moral effect of his mission. He had been employed not only to testify publicly against the calf worship, but also to lay the city and the new sanctuary of Jeroboam under an interdict, and by his return that interdict lost much of its force. His eating and drinking, small matters in themselves, were full of significance. Indeed, he did in one way precisely what Jeroboam and his people were doing in another he forsook the plain commands of God for the ordinances of men; he listened to the tempter and ate the forbidden fruit; and so it came to pass flint, instead of witnessing against disobedience, he himself set them the example of disobedience. It is the story of the Fall over again; and therefore death, the punishment of the Fall, befell him. But before we say that his punishment was too severe, let us remember what, by the mercy of God, that primal punishment has become. It has been turned into a blessing. It has given us the incarnation, redemption, eternal life. We forget that death is not necessarily an evil - is in reality a blessing. One of the heathen has said that if we only knew what the future life was like, we should not be content to live. To this "man of God" it must surely have been gain to die. If the flesh was destroyed, it was that the spirit might be saved (1 Corinthians 5:5). Only because we forget that death is the gate of life do we complain of the severity of his doom. And as to the lying prophet who wrought all this mischief escaping retribution - which, by the way, he did not do, for assuredly he must have had a life-long remorse - it is overlooked that the day of retribution has not yet arrived. There is for him a judgment to come. It may he said that the Jew did not know of this - that the future life had not then been revealed. That is quite true, and for that very reason this visitation would make all the deeper impression on their minds. To this must be added that the man of God did not die merely or principally because of his sin, but "that the works of God might be made manifest in him." His death was necessary in order that his mission might not be altogether invalidated. His miserable end - as it must have seemed to them - would surely speak to the inhabitants of Bethel and to all Israel and Judah, for long years to come, as to the sure vengeance awaiting the disobedient, whether king, prophet, priest, or people. Though dead "he cried against the altar of Bethel." And the sacred narrative (vers. 26-32) affords us some ground for hoping that the "old prophet" became penitent for his sin. It is noteworthy that he joins his testimony to that of the man of God. Thus, this tragedy extorted even from him a warning against disobedience (ver. 26), and a confirmation of the prophecy against the altar of Bethel (ver. 32).]

Parallel Commentaries ...


As he went on his way,
וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

a lion
אַרְיֵ֛ה (’ar·yêh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 738: A lion

met him
וַיִּמְצָאֵ֧הוּ (way·yim·ṣā·’ê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

on the road
בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ (bad·de·reḵ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

and killed him,
וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ (way·mî·ṯê·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

and his body
נִבְלָתוֹ֙ (niḇ·lā·ṯōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5038: A flabby thing, a carcase, carrion, an idol

was
וַתְּהִ֤י (wat·tə·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

left lying
מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת (muš·le·ḵeṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 7993: To throw out, down, away

in the road,
בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ (bad·de·reḵ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

with the donkey
וְהַחֲמוֹר֙ (wə·ha·ḥă·mō·wr)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2543: A male ass

and the lion
וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה (wə·hā·’ar·yêh)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 738: A lion

standing
עֹמֵ֖ד (‘ō·mêḏ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

beside
אֵ֥צֶל (’ê·ṣel)
Preposition
Strong's 681: A joining together, proximity

[it].
הַנְּבֵלָֽה׃ (han·nə·ḇê·lāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5038: A flabby thing, a carcase, carrion, an idol


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OT History: 1 Kings 13:24 When he was gone a lion met (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)