International Standard Version

Hebrew Study Bible

1Right when Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn some incense, a man of God arrived in Bethel from Judah in obedience to a command from the LORD.

1וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־ בֵּֽית־ אֵ֑ל וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃

2He cursed the altar in this message from the LORD: "Hey altar! Hey altar! This is what the LORD says: 'Pay attention to this! A son is going to be born in David's dynasty. His name will be Josiah. He will sacrifice the priests who burn incense on you in these high places. Human bones will be burned on you!'"

2וַיִּקְרָ֤א עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מִזְבֵּ֣חַ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּֽה־ בֵ֞ן נוֹלָ֤ד לְבֵית־ דָּוִד֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ שְׁמ֔וֹ וְזָבַ֣ח עָלֶ֗יךָ אֶת־ כֹּהֲנֵ֤י הַבָּמוֹת֙ הַמַּקְטִרִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ וְעַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ עָלֶֽיךָ׃

3Later that same day, he gave them a special display of power of what was to come when he said, "Here's proof that the LORD has decreed this: Look! This altar will be split apart and the ashes that are on it will spill out."

3וְנָתַן֩ בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֤וּא מוֹפֵת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֣ה הַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ נִקְרָ֔ע וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן אֲשֶׁר־ עָלָֽיו׃

4When he heard the man of God curse the altar in Bethel, the king pointed at the man of God from where the king was standing at the altar. "Seize him!" he ordered. But all of a sudden his hand that he had stretched out dried up, and he could not bring it back to his side!

4וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־ דְּבַ֣ר אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤א עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בְּבֵֽית־ אֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יָרָבְעָ֧ם אֶת־ יָד֛וֹ מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֣ר ׀ תִּפְשֻׂ֑הוּ וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ יָדוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֣ח עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א יָכֹ֖ל לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֵלָֽיו׃

5Also, the altar broke apart and the ashes that were on it spilled out from the altar, providing just the proof that the man of God had predicted in his message from the LORD!

5וְהַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ נִקְרָ֔ע וַיִּשָּׁפֵ֥ךְ הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן מִן־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כַּמּוֹפֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃

6"Please!" the king begged the man of God, "Ask the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored for me!" So the man of God asked the LORD, and the king's hand was immediately and fully restored, just like it had been before.

6וַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ אֶל־ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים חַל־ נָ֞א אֶת־ פְּנֵ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדִ֔י וְתָשֹׁ֥ב יָדִ֖י אֵלָ֑י וַיְחַ֤ל אִישׁ־ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־ פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתָּ֤שָׁב יַד־ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַתְּהִ֖י כְּבָרִֽאשֹׁנָֽה׃

7So the king told the man of God, "Come back to my palace and rest a while. I'd like to give you a reward."

7וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים בֹּאָה־ אִתִּ֥י הַבַּ֖יְתָה וּֽסְעָ֑דָה וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לְךָ֖ מַתָּֽת׃

8But the man of God replied to the king, "Even if you were to offer me half of your house, I wouldn't go with you, and I'm sure not going to eat even a piece of bread or drink water in this place,

8וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אִישׁ־ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־ תִּתֶּן־ לִי֙ אֶת־ חֲצִ֣י בֵיתֶ֔ךָ לֹ֥א אָבֹ֖א עִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־ אֹ֤כַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶשְׁתֶּה־ מַּ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

9because the LORD commanded me specifically, 'You are not to eat bread, drink water, or return by the way that you came to arrive here!'"

9כִּֽי־ כֵ֣ן ׀ צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־ תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁתֶּה־ מָּ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתָּ׃

10Then he left, returning a different way than the one by which he had traveled to Bethel.

10וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אַחֵ֑ר וְלֹֽא־ שָׁ֣ב בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֛ר בָּ֥א בָ֖הּ אֶל־ בֵּֽית־ אֵֽל׃ פ

11Now there was an old prophet who lived in Bethel, and his sons went to him and told him everything that the man of God had accomplished that day in Bethel, including the message that he had delivered to the king.

11וְנָבִ֤יא אֶחָד֙ זָקֵ֔ן יֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּבֵֽית־ אֵ֑ל וַיָּב֣וֹא בְנ֡וֹ וַיְסַפֶּר־ ל֣וֹ אֶת־ כָּל־ הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־ עָשָׂה֩ אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ הַיּ֜וֹם בְּבֵֽית־ אֵ֗ל אֶת־ הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיְסַפְּר֖וּם לַאֲבִיהֶֽם׃

12"Which way did he go?" their father asked him, since his sons had observed the way that the man of God had taken to return to Judah from Bethel.

12וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֵֽי־ זֶ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ הָלָ֑ךְ וַיִּרְא֣וּ בָנָ֗יו אֶת־ הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָלַךְ֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֖א מִיהוּדָֽה׃

13"Saddle my donkey for me!" he ordered. So they saddled the donkey for him

13וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ בָּנָ֔יו חִבְשׁוּ־ לִ֖י הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיִּרְכַּ֖ב עָלָֽיו׃

14and he rode off after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. "You're the man of God who came from Judah, aren't you?" the old prophet asked him. "I am," he replied.

14וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּ֨מְצָאֵ֔הוּ יֹשֵׁ֖ב תַּ֣חַת הָאֵלָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הַאַתָּ֧ה אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֥אתָ מִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽנִי׃

15"Come home with me and have a meal," he told him.

15וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו לֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֖י הַבָּ֑יְתָה וֶאֱכֹ֖ל לָֽחֶם׃

16But he replied, "I can't go back with you to your home, be in your company, or even eat food or drink water with you in this place,

16וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֥א אוּכַ֛ל לָשׁ֥וּב אִתָּ֖ךְ וְלָב֣וֹא אִתָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־ אֹ֣כַל לֶ֗חֶם וְלֹֽא־ אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה אִתְּךָ֙ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

17because I've been given a command in the form of this message from the LORD: 'You are to eat no food, drink no water, and do not return to Judah by traveling the way by which you go there.'"

17כִּֽי־ דָבָ֤ר אֵלַי֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לֹֽא־ תֹאכַ֣ל לֶ֔חֶם וְלֹֽא־ תִשְׁתֶּ֥ה שָׁ֖ם מָ֑יִם לֹא־ תָשׁ֣וּב לָלֶ֔כֶת בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־ הָלַ֥כְתָּ בָּֽהּ׃

18"I'm a prophet like you," the old man replied, "and an angel spoke to me and delivered this message from the LORD: 'Bring him back with you to your house and give him food and water.'" But he was lying,

18וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ גַּם־ אֲנִ֣י נָבִיא֮ כָּמוֹךָ֒ וּמַלְאָ֡ךְ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלַי֩ בִּדְבַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲשִׁבֵ֤הוּ אִתְּךָ֙ אֶל־ בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְיֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְיֵ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם כִּחֵ֖שׁ לֽוֹ׃

19and the man of God accompanied the old prophet back to his house, ate some food, and drank some water.

19וַיָּ֣שָׁב אִתּ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֛חֶם בְּבֵית֖וֹ וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מָֽיִם׃

20Later, while they were sitting down at the table, a message from the LORD was delivered to the prophet who had brought him back,

20וַיְהִ֕י הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים אֶל־ הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן פ וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃

21so he cried out to the man of God from Judah: "This is what the LORD says: 'Because you disobeyed a command from the LORD and haven't done what the LORD your God commanded you to do,

21וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶל־ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־ בָּ֤א מִֽיהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה יַ֗עַן כִּ֤י מָרִ֙יתָ֙ פִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אֶת־ הַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

22but instead you returned to eat and drink in the very place that he told you "Eat no food and drink no water," your body will not be buried in the same grave as your ancestors.'"

22וַתָּ֗שָׁב וַתֹּ֤אכַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וַתֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־ תֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְאַל־ תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם לֹֽא־ תָב֥וֹא נִבְלָתְךָ֖ אֶל־ קֶ֥בֶר אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃

23After the meal was over, and the man had eaten food and had drunk water, the old prophet saddled the donkey for him—that is, for the man of God whom he had brought back.

23וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֛י אָכְל֥וֹ לֶ֖חֶם וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שְׁתוֹת֑וֹ וַיַּחֲבָשׁ־ ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר לַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃

24Not long after the man of God had left, a lion met him along the road and killed him. His body was left lying in the middle of the road with the donkey standing beside it and with the lion also standing next to the body.

24וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָאֵ֧הוּ אַרְיֵ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ וַתְּהִ֤י נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהַחֲמוֹר֙ עֹמֵ֣ד אֶצְלָ֔הּ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֥צֶל הַנְּבֵלָֽה׃

25When some men passed by and noticed the body lying in the middle of the road and the lion standing beside the body, they went straight to the city and told what had happened in the city where the old prophet lived.

25וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֣ים עֹבְרִ֗ים וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֶת־ הַנְּבֵלָה֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְאֶת־ הָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ בָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֛ר הַנָּבִ֥יא הַזָּקֵ֖ן יֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּֽהּ׃

26The prophet who had brought the man of God back from the road learned about it. "It's the man of God who disobeyed the message from the LORD," he said. "That's why the LORD gave him to that lion, which mauled him and killed him, just as the message from the LORD told rebuke him."

26וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַנָּבִיא֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱשִׁיב֣וֹ מִן־ הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֣ים ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָרָ֖ה אֶת־ פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ יְהוָ֜ה לָאַרְיֵ֗ה וַֽיִּשְׁבְּרֵ֙הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֵ֔הוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּר־ לֽוֹ׃

27Then he ordered his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they did.

27וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־ בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חִבְשׁוּ־ לִ֖י אֶֽת־ הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃

28The old prophet went out, located the body on the road where the donkey and the lion were standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body nor mauled the donkey.

28וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָ֤א אֶת־ נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַֽחֲמוֹר֙ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה לֹֽא־ אָכַ֤ל הָֽאַרְיֵה֙ אֶת־ הַנְּבֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁבַ֖ר אֶֽת־ הַחֲמֽוֹר׃

29The prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to the city where the old man lived so he could mourn and bury him.

29וַיִּשָּׂ֨א הַנָּבִ֜יא אֶת־ נִבְלַ֧ת אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וַיַּנִּחֵ֥הוּ אֶֽל־ הַחֲמ֖וֹר וַיְשִׁיבֵ֑הוּ וַיָּבֹ֗א אֶל־ עִיר֙ הַנָּבִ֣יא הַזָּקֵ֔ן לִסְפֹּ֖ד וּלְקָבְרֽוֹ׃

30He buried the corpse in his own grave and his family mourned for him, crying out, "Oh, no! My brother!"

30וַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶת־ נִבְלָת֖וֹ בְּקִבְר֑וֹ וַיִּסְפְּד֥וּ עָלָ֖יו ה֥וֹי אָחִֽי׃

31After he had buried the man of God, he gave these instructions to his children: "When I die, bury me in the same grave in which the man of God is buried. Place my bones beside his,

31וַיְהִי֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י קָבְר֣וֹ אֹתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־ בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בְּמוֹתִי֙ וּקְבַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֔י בַּקֶּ֕בֶר אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים קָב֣וּר בּ֑וֹ אֵ֚צֶל עַצְמֹתָ֔יו הַנִּ֖יחוּ אֶת־ עַצְמֹתָֽי׃

32because what he predicted by a message from the LORD against the altar in Bethel and the temples built in the high places of the cities of Samaria will certainly come about."

32כִּי֩ הָיֹ֨ה יִהְיֶ֜ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרָא֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵֽית־ אֵ֑ל וְעַל֙ כָּל־ בָּתֵּ֣י הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעָרֵ֥י שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ פ

33Despite everything that happened, Jeroboam never did repent of his evil practices. Instead, he appointed even more people to act as priests for the high places. Anyone who wanted to be a priest was ordained to be a priest in the high places.

33אַחַר֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹֽא־ שָׁ֥ב יָרָבְעָ֖ם מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה וַ֠יָּשָׁב וַיַּ֜עַשׂ מִקְצ֤וֹת הָעָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ יְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־ יָד֔וֹ וִיהִ֖י כֹּהֲנֵ֥י בָמֽוֹת׃

34This practice became so sinful that the LORD decided to erase Jeroboam's dynasty, thus eliminating it from the face of the earth.

34וַיְהִי֙ בַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְחַטַּ֖את בֵּ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֑ם וּלְהַכְחִיד֙ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֔יד מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פ

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.