1 Kings 13:18
New International Version
The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (But he was lying to him.)

New Living Translation
But the old prophet answered, “I am a prophet, too, just as you are. And an angel gave me this command from the LORD: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink.’” But the old man was lying to him.

English Standard Version
And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,

King James Bible
He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

New King James Version
He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (He was lying to him.)

New American Standard Bible
Then he said to him, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

NASB 1995
He said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

NASB 1977
And he said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of Yahweh, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he dealt falsely with him.

Amplified Bible
He answered him, “I too am a prophet, as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him.

Christian Standard Bible
He said to him, “I am also a prophet like you. An angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat food and drink water.’ ” The old prophet deceived him,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He said to him, “I am also a prophet like you. An angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet deceived him,

American Standard Version
And he said unto him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

Contemporary English Version
The old prophet said, "I'm a prophet too. One of the LORD's angels told me to take you to my house and give you something to eat and drink." The prophet from Judah did not know that the old prophet was lying,

English Revised Version
And he said unto him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The old prophet said, "I'm also a prophet, like you. An angel spoke the word of the LORD to me. He said, 'Bring him home with you so that he may have something to eat and drink.' " (But the old prophet was lying.)

Good News Translation
Then the old prophet from Bethel said to him, "I, too, am a prophet just like you, and at the LORD's command an angel told me to take you home with me and offer you my hospitality." But the old prophet was lying.

International Standard Version
"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,

Majority Standard Bible
Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,

NET Bible
The old prophet then said, "I too am a prophet like you. An angel told me with the LORD's authority, 'Bring him back with you to your house so he can eat and drink.'" But he was lying to him.

New Heart English Bible
He said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'" He lied to him.

Webster's Bible Translation
He said to him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.

World English Bible
He said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are; and an angel spoke to me by Yahweh’s word, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” He lied to him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says to him, “I [am] also a prophet like you, and a messenger spoke to me by the word of YHWH, saying, Bring him back with you to your house, and he eats bread and drinks water.” He has lied to him.

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith to him, 'I also am a prophet like thee, and a messenger spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee unto thy house, and he doth eat bread and drink water;' -- he hath lied to him.

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say to him, I also a prophet as thou; and a messenger spake to me in the word of Jehovah, saying, Turn him back with thee to thy house; and he shall eat bread and drink water. Lying to him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
He said to him: I also am a prophet like unto thee: and an angel spoke to me in the word of the Lord, saying: Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread, and drink water. He deceived him,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to him: “I, too, am a prophet like you. And an Angel spoke to me, by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Lead him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread, and drink water.’ ” And so he deceived him.

New American Bible
But he said to him, “I, too, am a prophet like you, and an angel told me by the word of the LORD: Bring him back with you to your house to eat bread and drink water.” But he was lying to him.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the other said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD: Bring him back with you into your house so that he may eat food and drink water.” But he was deceiving him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
- - -

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to him: “I also am a Prophet like you, and an Angel said to me in the word of LORD JEHOVAH: ‘Bring him with you to the house. He will eat bread and drink water”, and he lied to him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said unto him: 'I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spoke unto me by the word of the LORD, saying: Bring him back with thee into thy house, that he may eat bread and drink water.'--He lied unto him.--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said to him, I also am a prophet as thou art; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back to thee into thy house, and let him eat bread and drink water: but he lied to him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Old Prophet and the Man of God
17For I have been told by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.’ ” 18Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him, 19but the man of God went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water.…

Cross References
Galatians 1:8-9
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse! / As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

Jeremiah 23:16
This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.

Matthew 24:24
For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

2 Peter 2:1-3
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. / Many will follow in their depravity, and because of them the way of truth will be defamed. / In their greed, these false teachers will exploit you with deceptive words. The longstanding verdict against them remains in force, and their destruction does not sleep.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3
If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, / and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,” / you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Ezekiel 13:6-7
They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. / Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken?

Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. / For this reason God will send them a powerful delusion so that they believe the lie, ...

Jeremiah 14:14
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.

Acts 20:29-30
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, / influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.

Isaiah 9:15-16
The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. / For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.

Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.


Treasury of Scripture

He said to him, I am a prophet also as you are; and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with you into your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.

an angel

Numbers 22:35
And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Judges 6:11,12
And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites…

Judges 13:3
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt conceive, and bear a son.

But

Genesis 3:4,5
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: …

Isaiah 9:15
The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Jeremiah 5:12,31
They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: …

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1 Kings 13
1. Jeroboam's hand withers
6. 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 prophet replied
This phrase introduces a significant moment in the narrative, where a prophet, who is later revealed to be deceitful, speaks to the man of God. The Hebrew word for "prophet" here is "נָבִיא" (navi), which traditionally denotes someone who is a spokesperson for God. This sets up an expectation of truth and divine communication, which is subverted in this context. Historically, prophets held a revered position in Israelite society, often serving as intermediaries between God and the people. This highlights the gravity of the deception that follows.

I too am a prophet like you
The phrase "I too am a prophet" is a claim of shared identity and authority. The deceitful prophet uses this assertion to establish credibility and trust. The Hebrew word "כָּמוֹךָ" (kamokha) means "like you," suggesting equality or similarity. This is a strategic move to lower the defenses of the man of God. In the broader scriptural context, this reflects the danger of false prophets, a recurring theme in the Bible, where discernment is necessary to distinguish true messengers of God from impostors.

and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD
Here, the deceitful prophet claims divine revelation, invoking an "angel" (מַלְאָךְ, mal'akh) as the source of his message. In biblical terms, angels are messengers of God, and their involvement typically signifies a message of great importance. The phrase "by the word of the LORD" (בִּדְבַר יְהוָה, bidvar Yahweh) is a powerful assertion, as it implies that the message is directly from God. This claim is designed to add weight and authority to the deceitful prophet's words, making the lie more convincing.

saying, 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.'
The instruction to "bring him back" is a direct contradiction to the command given to the man of God earlier in the chapter. The Hebrew words for "eat bread and drink water" (לֶחֶם וָמַיִם, lechem v'mayim) are simple yet significant, as they represent sustenance and hospitality, common cultural practices in ancient Israel. However, in this context, they symbolize disobedience to God's explicit command. This highlights the subtlety of the deception, as it cloaks disobedience in the guise of normal, even virtuous, behavior.

But he was lying to him
This phrase reveals the true nature of the deceitful prophet's message. The Hebrew word for "lying" (כִּזֵּב, kizev) indicates falsehood and deception. This stark revelation serves as a cautionary note about the presence of falsehood even among those who claim to speak for God. In the broader biblical narrative, this underscores the importance of discernment and obedience to God's word above all else. The man of God's failure to adhere strictly to God's command results in dire consequences, serving as a sobering reminder of the cost of disobedience.

(18) An angel spake unto me.--The lie was gross, and ought to have been obvious to one who had received a plain command, and must have known that "God was not a man that He should lie, or the son of man that He should repent." It was believed, no doubt, because it chimed in with some secret reluctance to obey, and, by obedience, to give up all reward and hospitality. Hence the belief was a self-deceit, and, as such, culpable. It is inexplicable that the condemnation which it drew down should have been thought strange by any who understands human nature, and knows the self-deceiving colour which our wish gives to our thought. (See the famous Sermon of Bishop Butler on "Self-deceit.")

Verse 18. - He said unto him; I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel (Bahr observes that "he does not venture to say that Jehovah spake to him, but says an angel did." Is it not more probable that the angel was mentioned, partly for the purpose of giving an air of circumstantiality and reality to his story, and partly to convey the idea of his having a superior authority for his message? A communication through a celestial messenger would seem to have been regarded as a higher form of revelation than a subjective communication to the mind of the prophet. Cf. Acts 7:53; Hebrews 2:2; Luke 1:13, 29; Acts 27:23, etc. Observe, the prophet speaks presently of "the word of Jehovah"] spake unto me by [Heb. in; same expression as in ver. 17] the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house that he may eat [Heb. and he shall eat] bread and drink water. But he lied to him. [These last words are inserted parenthetically; hence there is no "but" in the Heb. The true character and designs and motives of this "old prophet" have long been a crux interpretum (see Hall, Contempl., 2:151-3.) Some, including Josephus and most Jewish commentators, have supposed him to be altogether a false and lying prophet, such as are found plentifully later on in the history (1 Kings 22:6; Jeremiah 28:1); but against this is the fact that he was undoubtedly the channel of a Divine communication (ver. 21). The real difficulty, no doubt, lies in the fact that one by whom the Spirit of God spake to man should have acted so base a part as he did. But it must be remembered

(1) that he did not know what a terrible judgment his lie would bring upon "the man of God;"

(2) that truth had not the place in the Jewish scheme which it has in Christian morals;

(3) that the gift of prophecy is compatible with much moral imperfection on the part of the prophet - the cases of Balaam and Caiaphas will occur to all - and . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then [the prophet] replied,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

too [am]
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

a prophet
נָבִיא֮ (nā·ḇî)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet

like you,
כָּמוֹךָ֒ (kā·mō·w·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3644: Like, as, when

and an angel
וּמַלְאָ֡ךְ (ū·mal·’āḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

spoke
דִּבֶּ֣ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֵלַי֩ (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

me by the word
בִּדְבַ֨ר (biḏ·ḇar)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

saying,
לֵאמֹ֗ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Bring him back
הֲשִׁבֵ֤הוּ (hă·ši·ḇê·hū)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

with you
אִתְּךָ֙ (’it·tə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

your house,
בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ (bê·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1004: A house

so that he may eat
וְיֹ֥אכַל (wə·yō·ḵal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

bread
לֶ֖חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

and drink
וְיֵ֣שְׁתְּ (wə·yê·šət)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8354: To imbibe

water.’”
מָ֑יִם (mā·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

The old prophet was lying
כִּחֵ֖שׁ (ki·ḥêš)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3584: To disappoint, deceive, fail, grow lean

to him,
לֽוֹ׃ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 0: 0


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OT History: 1 Kings 13:18 He said to him I also (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 13:17
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