The Meaning of 1 Kings 13:20 Explained

1 Kings 13:20

KJV: And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back:

YLT: And it cometh to pass -- they are sitting at the table -- and a word of Jehovah is unto the prophet who brought him back,

Darby: And it came to pass as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came to the prophet that brought him back;

ASV: And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of Jehovah came unto the prophet that brought him back;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, as they sat  at the table,  that the word  of the LORD  came unto the prophet  that brought him back: 

What does 1 Kings 13:20 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 13:20-34 - Sign Upon Sign Unheeded
There is a tragic note in this paragraph. The man of God had performed God's errand bravely and well, and his words were verified by the result; but he perished as a castaway. See 1 Corinthians 9:27. If only he had obeyed God's word, as it came directly to himself, he might have been entrusted with many similar errands; but "Alas, my brother!" was a true elegy on the part of the man who had led to his downfall. How careful we should be never to dissuade a young soul from some heroic purpose which has formed itself in his imagination! Too many young men have perished on the threshold of their life-work, because older prophets have cried, "Spare thyself; have mercy on thy flesh."
God never goes back on His first instructions. If He has clearly spoken to your soul, refuse to take your marching-orders from others. No man, however aged or holy, has any right to intrude into the sacred dealings of God and the individual disciple. We may always detect the false voice, because its suggestions so exactly chime in with the weakness of our nature, in its desire to eat bread, drink water, and enjoy the society of our fellows.
1 Kings 13:1-34 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 13:20 mean?

And it came to pass as they sat at the table - that came the word of Yahweh to the prophet who had brought him back
וַיְהִ֕י הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים אֶל־ הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן פ וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־ הַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ

וַיְהִ֕י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
הֵ֥ם  as  they 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
יֹשְׁבִ֖ים  sat 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
אֶל־  at 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן  the  table 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֻׁלְחָן  
Sense: table.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation
וַֽיְהִי֙  that  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַנָּבִ֖יא  the  prophet 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ  had  brought  him  back 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.