1 Kings 13:4

1Ki 13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

Ver. 4. That he put forth his hand.] To apprehend the prophet, or for a sign to others to do it. "Hear and give ear," saith the prophet, "be not proud, for the Lord hath spoken it." {Jer 13:15} But

“ Corde stat inflato pauper honore dato. ”

Jeroboam - a poor widow’s son, {1Ki 11:26} or, as the Septuagint hath it, a harlot’s son - being advanced by God to a kingdom, rebelleth, and becometh a ringleader of rebellion against him putting forth the same hand against the prophet, that he had lifted up before against his prince. {1Ki 11:26} But what came of it?

And his hand which he put forth against him dried, &c.] A fearful stroke, had he well considered it: but his heart was as hard as his hand withered. Jeroboam had as great a miracle wrought before him herein, as St Paul had at his conversion; but without the Spirit’s concurrence neither miracle, nor ministry, nor misery, nor mercy, can in the least measure mollify the heart of an obdurate and obstinate sinner. Valens, the Arian emperor, would have signed a sentence of banishment against Basil, but could not, by reason of a sudden trembling of his right hand, so that he could not write one letter of his own name, but for anger tore the paper in pieces, and let Basil alone. {a} There is a story of one of our late innovators, who, turning with the times, and beginning to bow toward altars, never went upright more: and of another, who, hearing perjury condemned by a godly preacher, and how it never escaped unpunished, said in a bravery, "I have often forsworn myself, and yet my right hand is no shorter than my left." These words he had scarce uttered, when such an inflammation arose in that hand, that he was forced to go to the surgeon, and cut it off, lest it should have infected the whole body; and so it became shorter than the other {b} The Jews tell us, that when Jeroboam’s hand was dried up, the false prophets told him that this happened by chance, and so kept him from thinking of God who had smitten him. Let the saints learn to put their confidence in God: for if he deny concourse and influence, the arm of all adverse power shrinketh up presently.

{a} Nullum spicem complere potuit. - Hist. Tripart.

{b} Mr Clark’s Mirror, 204.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki_13:4-6

He put forth his hand.

The prophecy against Jeroboam and its attendant circumstances

I. All human power and skill engaged against God will wither. The hand of man is the bodily mark of his superiority to the animal creation; it represents his power and skill. It is the bread winner of the body. By its skilful use he imitates the works of God in nature, and by its means he sends down his thoughts to posterity. Jeroboams outstretched hand was the type of all human opposition to Gods rule, especially the opposition of the rulers of the world. Its withering was the exposition of No weapon formed against thee shall prosper (Isa_54:17); He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh (Psa_2:4, etc.)

II. Physical blessing is of more importance to the ungodly man than morality of character. Christs teaching is, If thy hand offend thee, cut it off (Mat_18:8), count no earthly loss worthy of a thought compared with an injury to the spiritual life. (Outline from Sermons by a London Minister.)

Hospitality refused

As the man of God from Judah so nobly refuses Jeroboams royal hospitality, I am reminded of Lord Napier. On one occasion his lordship was sent down to Scotland by the Queen on a royal errand of review and arbitration between a great duke and his poor crofters. The duke, the administration of whose estate was to be inquired into, was good enough to offer his lordship his ducal hospitality for as long as the royal session of review lasted. But Her Majestys Deputy felt that neither his Royal Mistress nor himself could afford to be for one moment compromised, or even suspected, by her poorest subject; and therefore it was that his lordship excused himself from the dukes table, and took up his quarters in the little wayside inn. At any rate, you will come to the manse, said the minister, who was on the crofters side. Thank you, said Napier. But in your college days you must have read Plutarch about Caesars wife. No, thank you. And his lordship lodged all his time in the little hotel, and went back to his Royal Mistress when his work was done, not only with clean hands, but without even a suspicion attaching to her or to him. Come home with me and refresh thyself. But the man of God said to the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee. So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel. (A. Whyte, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 13:4-5. He put forth his hand — To point out the man on whom he would have the people to lay hands. From the altar — Where he stood, and where his hand was employed in offering something upon it. And his hand dried up — Or withered, the muscles and sinews, the instruments of motion, shrinking up or becoming relaxed. This God did, not only to give another token, besides those which the man of God had mentioned, that his words would be fulfilled; but also to chastise Jeroboam for offering violence to the Lord’s prophet; to secure the prophet against further violence, and that in this example God might show how highly he resents the injuries done to his ministers for the faithful discharge of their office. The altar also was rent, &c. — This train of miracles, instantly wrought, and confirming so evidently the prophet’s mission, so amazed all the people, that we do not find any of them attempted to lay hold on him. And Jeroboam himself, for the present, was astonished and confounded at the sight of the effects produced by God’s miraculous power.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:4-5 The paralysis of Jeroboam’s shoulder and arm and the fulfillment of the prophetic sign concerning the altar confirmed God’s omnipotence as well as his direct displeasure with Jeroboam’s apostate religion.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The wicked rage against the Prophets of God, when they declare them God’s judgments.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 4. Lay hold on him.] No doubt, stretching out his own hand at the same time, through rage, pride, and haste, to execute his own orders.

And his hand dried up] The whole arm became suddenly rigid; the nerves no longer communicated their influence, and the muscles ceased to obey the dictates of the will.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. he put forth his hand from the altar] He was busy in the operations connected with the sacrifice, but the words of the prophet roused his anger, and the raised hand is the sign of his wrath, as well as a signal to those who were near him, pointing out that the speaker was to be seized. Hence it is said immediately ‘which he put forth against him.’ The R.V. has observed the order of the Hebrew in which the proper name Jeroboam comes in the second clause of the verse and not in the first: thus ‘when the king heard … Jeroboam put forth, &c.’

dried up] The effect described is that of a limb becoming rigid, not so much shrivelling, as stiffening. Josephus says it was ‘numbed and dead’.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it came to pass, when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, who had cried against the altar in Bethel,.... He was highly provoked: so that he put forth his hand from the altar; on which he was burning incense:

saying, lay hold on him; he put forth his hand, and either shook it at the prophet, threatening what he would do to him; or as beckoning to the people to seize him, and which he also expressed:

and his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him; he could not move it one way nor another, but it remained in the same position, the nerves and muscles being shrunk; which was a further confirmation of the prophet's mission from God, being one of those concerning whom he says, "do my prophets no harm", and a fresh token of the certain performance of what he had said.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He put forth his hand, to point out the man whom he would have the people lay hands on, and to stir them up to do so.

From the altar; where it was employed in offering something upon it. Dried up, or withered; the muscles and sinews, the instruments of motion, were shrunk up. This God did, partly, to chastise Jeroboam for offering violence to the Lord’s prophet; partly, to secure the prophet against further violence; and partly, that in this example God might show how highly he resents the injuries done to his ministers in and for the faithful discharge of their office.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Put forth his hand from the altar — This seems to show that he was at the time actually performing priestly functions. Compare above 1Ki_13:1 and 1Ki_12:32.

His hand… dried up — Here was another miracle, wrought, not by the agency of the prophet, but by God himself. It confuses, and for the time terrifies, the king, but produces in him no reformation.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it came to pass when king Jeroboam The A.V follows the LXX The Heb. omits "Jeroboam" heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand instinctively. His first thought was, not to wait and see whether the promised sign was given, but to seize and punish the man who had dared thus to denounce and thwart him. And we may imagine how extremely mortifying this interruption must have been to him. It threatened the complete frustration of his policy at the very moment when it seemed certain of suceess from the altar the ledge or platform, i.e., where he stood. He did not leave it, but shouted his commands to his servants, saying, Lay hold on him. "Arrest him," "let him not escape." One word in the Heb. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up Possibly the result of paralysis or tetanus (Ackermann in Bahr). It was like the "withered hand" of the New Testament (Mat_12:10, etc.) deprived of feeling and vital force, as the next words show, so that he could not pull it in again to him. It was not only powerless to punish, it was punished. "Now stands the king of Israel, like some antique statue, in a posture of impotent endeavour" (Hall). This was a warning to the king, not so much against his unauthorized and schismatical rites, as against his attempt to avenge himself on the messenger of God. (Psa_105:14, Psa_105:15)

Vers. 4-6.

The Man of Sin.

When the man of God predicted the confusion of the political religion of Jeroboam, and gave the sign that the altar at Bethel should be rent and its ashes poured out, the pride of the king who stood there as a priest was mortified, and his resentment was manifested as described in the text.

I JEROBOAM WAS A TYPICAL SINNER.

1. He transgressed God"s law

(1) In making images. The law forbad this. (Exo_20:4, Exo_20:5) But he made two golden calves. Note: Images of God must be caricatures, and God will not be mocked, solemnly or otherwise, with impunity. How many frightful caricatures of Deity has the "man of sin" perpetrated! (2Th_2:3-12)

(2) In multiplying altars. Legal worship was limited to one altar "in the place which the Lord should choose". (Deu_16:16) This was to keep before men the one only Mediator (Joh_14:6; 1Ti_2:5) Therefore other altars than that at Jerusalem were "altars unto sin". (Hos_8:11)

(3) In creating priests. According to the law, none but sons of Aaron had a Divine vocation to the priesthood (Exo_30:7, Exo_30:8; 2 Chronicles. (Heb_5:4) According to the gospel, Christ is sole Priest. Jeroboam, an Ephrathite, invaded the law principle, making himself high priest, and making subordinate priests of the lowest of the people.

2. He did so impudently.

(1) His sin was not of ignorance, for he had access to the Scriptures; but it did not serve his purpose to refer to them.

(2) Prophecy was particularly distasteful to him, for his doom is written there. Jeroboam had this from the lips of Ahijah, and now has it from the man of God from Judah. Beware of the spirit that would discourage a study upon which God has pronounced a blessing. (Rev_1:3)

(3) The spirit of his religion was political. He would not have troubled himself with it had he not political ends to serve. (1Ki_12:26-29) And to carry out these he dissembled: "It is too much for you to go to Jerusalem!

II HIS DOOM ALSO WAS TYPICAL.

1. He was confronted by the word of God.

(1) With this the man of God from Judah withstood him at his altar. So by the word of the Lord, and especially with the spirit of prophecy, has the man of sin been confronted by Waldenses, Paulikiaus, Hussites, Lutherans, and such like men "from Judah.

(2) But against this testimony he invoked the civil power under his usurped control (ver. 4). The spirit of persecution was there. The modern Jeroboam carried it further (Dan_12:2; Rev_13:7 Rev_17:6)

2. He was humbled by the power of God.

(1) His hand was withered; his power to persecute was paralyzed. How powerless is the hand of man when arrested by the hand of God! Behind the political restraints which now hold the persecuting hand of our enemies we must discern the invisible hand of God.

(3) The altar, then, was cloven, and the ashes of the spurious sacrifices poured out as with contempt. This also was effected by the same invisible hand. Who can resist the might of God?

(4) Constrained by these judgments, he confessed the finger of God, and entreated the man of God to pray for the restoration of his hand (see Exo_10:16, Exo_10:17; Num_21:7; Mat_5:23, Mat_5:24)

3. Yet he persisted in his sin.

(1) His humiliation was selfish. It was the creature of his terror and suffering, so it was transient.

(2) True repentance is of a loftier principle, and is enduring. It is a life, as faith also is a life.

(3) Instead of using his restored hand to demolish his high places, he used it to repair the altar at Bethel, and persisted in his sin (vers. 33, 34; 2Ch_13:20) But Josiah executed the judgments of prophecy in due time, So will the modern Jeroboam and his monstrous organization of sin perish in the fires of the judgment (Dan_7:10, Dan_7:11; 2Th_2:8) Note: Let those come out of Babylon who would escape her plagues.

J.A.M.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Put forth, &c. - To point out the man whom he would have the people lay hands on. The altar - Where it was employed in offering something upon it. Dried up - Or, withered, the muscles and sinews, the instruments of motion, shrunk up. This God did, to chastise Jeroboam for offering violence to the Lord's prophet: to secure the prophet against farther violence: and, that in this example God might shew, how highly he resents the injuries done to his ministers, for the faithful discharge of their office.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

the hand with which he had reached out against the man dried up

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Yahweh dried up the hand with which he had reached out against the man" (See: Active or Passive)

dried up

"withered" or "became paralyzed"

The altar was also split apart

This can be stated in active form. AT: "Yahweh also split the altar apart" (See: Active or Passive)

as described by the sign that the man of God had given by the word of Yahweh

This can be stated in active form. AT: "as the man of God had described by the word of Yahweh as a sign" (See: Active or Passive)

the word of Yahweh

"the message of Yahweh" or "Yahweh's message"

translationWords

king

hand

seize

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

But his hand dried up [stiffened]. The Holy One Blessed Is He, avenged the honor of a righteous person more than His own honor. [When] he was standing and offering sacrifices to idols, his hand did not stiffen, yet, because of slandering the righteous person, his hand stiffened.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.