1st Kings Chapter 13 verse 7 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerse 7. - And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself [with food, ablutions, etc. (Genesis 18:4, 5; Genesis 19:2; Mark 7:3, etc.) We are hardly justified in seeing in these words (with Bahr and Keil) an attempt to "gain the prophet over to his side by friendliness," and to render his threat harmless in the eyes of the people. The king doubtless may have hoped that it would "blunt the edge of the prophet's denunciation of his schismatical altar" (Wordsworth); but this was not the object, or not the sole object, with which the invitation was given. Jeroboam could not possibly have done less, after the signal service the man of God had rendered him, than invite him to his palace. Eastern courtesy alone (Genesis 18:4; Genesis 19:2; Genesis 43:24, etc.) would require him to offer hospitality to his benefactor. And he could scarcely hope that any hospitalities would either neutralize the impression which the recent miracles had made, or win over to his side one who had a direct commission from the Most High to oppose him. With more reason, Wordsworth cites 1 Samuel 15:30, "Honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people." A feeling of gratitude may have prompted the invitation, while the king at the same time was very sensible of the advantages which would accrue to himself if it were accepted], and I will give thee a reward. [The services, especially of seers and prophets, were invariably requited in the East with presents, as are those of Judges, Kadis, Kaimakams, and other officers at the present day (see 1 Kings 14:3; Genesis 24:53; Genesis 33:11; Genesis 43:11; Numbers 22:17; Judges 3:17; Judges 6:18; Judges 13:15; 1 Samuel 9:7, 8; 1 Samuel 12:3; 2 Kings 5:5, 15; 2 Kings 8:8, 9).]

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) Come home with me . . .--The invitation may have been in part the mark of some impression made on the king, and an impulse of gratitude for the restoration of his withered hand. Such was the request of Naaman to Elisha (2Kings 5:15), though even this was emphatically refused. But it still savours of astute policy in Jeroboam: for the acceptance of hospitality and reward would in the eyes of the people imply a condonation of the idolatrous worship, which might well destroy or extenuate the impression made by the prophet's prediction. It indicates also--what experience of such men as "the old prophet" would have produced--a low idea of prophetic character and mission, not unlike that which is shown in Balak's treatment of Balaam. That such conceptions are perfectly compatible with a certain belief in the reality of a supernatural power in the prophet--although they, of course, derogate from its true sacredness--the monstrous request of Simon Magus (in Acts 8:19) shows with the most startling clearness. It was evidently to provide against these things--as fatal to the effectiveness of the prophet's mission--that the prohibition of 1Kings 13:9 was given; nor could its general purpose have been easily misunderstood, either by the king or by the prophet himself. It is a curious coincidence that in his refusal he uses words strangely like the reluctant refusal of Balak's offer by Balaam (Numbers 22:18). The very strength of the language is suspicious.