New International Version The prophet said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they did so. New Living Translation Then the prophet said to his sons, “Saddle a donkey for me.” So they saddled a donkey, English Standard Version And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. Berean Standard Bible Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it, Berean Literal Bible And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle for me the donkey.” And they saddled it. King James Bible And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. New King James Version And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it. New American Standard Bible Then he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. NASB 1995 Then he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. NASB 1977 Then he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. Legacy Standard Bible Then he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. Amplified Bible And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. Berean Annotated Bible Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled it, Christian Standard Bible Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” They saddled it, Holman Christian Standard Bible Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” They saddled it, American Standard Version And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled it. Contemporary English Version The old prophet told his sons to saddle his donkey, and when it was ready, English Revised Version And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled it. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then the old prophet told his sons to saddle his donkey for him. So they did. Good News Translation Then he said to his sons, "Saddle my donkey for me." They did so, International Standard Version Then he ordered his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they did. NET Bible He told his sons, "Saddle my donkey," and they did so. New Heart English Bible He spoke to his sons, saying, "Saddle the donkey for me." They saddled it. Webster's Bible Translation And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it, World English Bible He said to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddled it. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he speaks to his sons saying, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddle [it]. Berean Literal Bible And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle for me the donkey.” And they saddled it. Young's Literal Translation And he speaketh unto his sons saying, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle it. Smith's Literal Translation And he will speak to his sons, saying, Saddle for me the ass. And they will saddle him. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he said to his sons: Saddle me an ass. And when they had saddled it, Catholic Public Domain Version And he said to his sons, “Saddle a donkey for me.” And when they had saddled it, New American Bible Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they saddled it. New Revised Standard Version Then he said to his sons, “Saddle a donkey for me.” So they saddled one, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa Bible- - - Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he said to his sons: “Saddle the donkey for me!”, and they saddled it. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And he spoke to his sons, saying: 'Saddle me the ass.' And they saddled it. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Old Prophet and the Man of God…26When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard this, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the command of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, and it has mauled him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to him.” 27Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it, 28and he went and found the body lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had not eaten the body or mauled the donkey.… Cross References Then the old prophet instructed his sons, Proverbs 4:1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. Genesis 43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your packs and carry them down as a gift for the man—a little balm and a little honey, spices and myrrh, pistachios and almonds. “Saddle the donkey for me.” 2 Samuel 19:26 “My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled so that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ But my servant Ziba deceived me, Genesis 22:3 So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated. Numbers 22:21 So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. So they saddled it, 2 Kings 4:24 Then she saddled the donkey and told her servant, “Drive onward; do not slow the pace for me unless I tell you.” 2 Samuel 17:23 When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his affairs in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb. 2 Samuel 16:1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 Kings 23:17-18 Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.” / “Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria. 2 Kings 23:16 And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things. 2 Kings 23:15 He even pulled down the altar at Bethel, the high place set up by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. Then he burned the high place, ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole. 2 Kings 23:19-20 Just as Josiah had done at Bethel, so also in the cities of Samaria he removed all the shrines of the high places set up by the kings of Israel who had provoked the LORD to anger. / On the altars he slaughtered all the priests of the high places, and he burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem. 2 Kings 23:14 He smashed the sacred pillars to pieces, cut down the Asherah poles, and covered the sites with human bones. 2 Kings 23:13 The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 2 Kings 23:12 He pulled down the altars that the kings of Judah had set up on the roof near the upper chamber of Ahaz, and the altars that Manasseh had set up in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD. The king pulverized them there and threw their dust into the Kidron Valley. 2 Kings 23:11 And he removed from the entrance to the house of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the chamber of an official named Nathan-melech. And Josiah burned up the chariots of the sun. Treasury of Scripture And he spoke to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. Jump to Previous Ass Donkey Prophet Ready Saddle Saddled SpeakethJump to Next Ass Donkey Prophet Ready Saddle Saddled Speaketh1 Kings 13 1. Jeroboam's hand withers6. 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 Then the old prophet instructed his sons, The prophet from Bethel, who had deceived the man of God from Judah, now acts after learning of his death. His sons had witnessed the events and reported what had happened, placing the family within the prophetic setting of Bethel. Pro 4:1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;… “Saddle the donkey for me.” He prepares to travel by donkey to the place where the man of God’s body lay after being killed by the lion. His request shows his intention to take responsibility for the burial. 2Sa 19:26 “My lord the king,” he replied, “because I am lame,… So they saddled it, His sons promptly carried out his command, providing the means for him to leave Bethel and recover the body. 2Ki 4:24 Then she saddled the donkey and told her servant,… Persons / Places / Events 1. The Old ProphetAn older prophet living in Bethel who deceives the man of God from Judah. He plays a crucial role in the account by misleading the man of God, which leads to the latter's disobedience and subsequent death. 2. The Man of God from Judah A prophet sent by God to Bethel to deliver a message against the altar King Jeroboam had set up. His journey and actions are central to the events of 1 Kings 13. 3. Bethel A significant location in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, where King Jeroboam established a center of idol worship, contrary to God's commandments. 4. The Sons of the Old Prophet They serve as messengers and assistants to their father, the old prophet, and are involved in saddling the donkey. 5. The Donkey An animal used for transportation, symbolizing the readiness and willingness to act upon the old prophet's instructions. Teaching Points Discernment in Spiritual MattersThe man of God's failure to discern the truth from the old prophet's lie serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of seeking God's guidance and testing the spirits. Consequences of Disobedience The account illustrates that disobedience to God's direct commands, even when influenced by others, leads to severe consequences. The Role of Accountability The old prophet's actions remind us of the responsibility we have in guiding others truthfully and the impact of our words and actions on their spiritual journey. God's Sovereignty and Fulfillment of Prophecy Despite human failure, God's plans and prophecies are ultimately fulfilled, as seen in the later fulfillment of the man of God's prophecy by King Josiah. The Importance of Repentance and Correction The account encourages believers to repent and seek correction when they have strayed from God's path, emphasizing God's mercy and willingness to restore. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Kings 13:27?2. How does 1 Kings 13:27 illustrate the consequences of disobedience to God's commands? 3. What can we learn about God's justice from the prophet's fate in 1 Kings 13? 4. How does the story in 1 Kings 13 connect to Proverbs 3:5-6? 5. How can we ensure our actions align with God's will, as seen in 1 Kings 13? 6. What steps can you take to avoid being misled, as the prophet was? 7. Why did the old prophet lie to the man of God in 1 Kings 13:27? 8. How does 1 Kings 13:27 challenge the concept of divine justice? 9. What is the significance of the lion's behavior in 1 Kings 13:27? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Kings 13? Verse 27. - And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. 1 Kings 13:27 shows the old prophet acting immediately to deal with the tragedy his deception helped cause. Ordering, “Saddle the donkey for me,” he assumes responsibility, involves his family in prompt obedience, and prepares to honor the fallen servant of God. The verse reminds us that genuine repentance is practical, urgent, and visible, urging every believer to respond swiftly and wholeheartedly to God’s unchanging word. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then the old prophet instructedוַיְדַבֵּ֤ר (way·ḏab·bêr) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue his sons, בָּנָיו֙ (bā·nāw) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1121: A son “Saddle חִבְשׁוּ־ (ḥiḇ·šū-) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 2280: To wrap firmly, to stop, to rule the donkey for me.” הַחֲמ֑וֹר (ha·ḥă·mō·wr) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 2543: A male ass So they saddled [it], וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃ (way·ya·ḥă·ḇō·šū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 2280: To wrap firmly, to stop, to rule Additonal Resources 1 Kings 13:27 Blue Letter Bible1 Kings 13:27 Bible Gateway 1 Kings 13:27 Bible.com 1 Kings 13:27 NIV |



