וְהִנֵּ֣ה ׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרׇבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃ an agent of God arrived at Bethel from Judah at the command of GOD. While Jeroboam was standing on the altaraon the altar I.e., at the top of the steps or ramp. to present the offering,
וַיִּקְרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מִזְבֵּ֣חַ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה הִנֵּה־בֵ֞ן נוֹלָ֤ד לְבֵית־דָּוִד֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הֽוּ שְׁמ֔וֹ וְזָבַ֣ח עָלֶ֗יךָ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֤י הַבָּמוֹת֙ הַמַּקְטִרִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ וְעַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ עָלֶֽיךָ׃ he—the agent of God—at the command of GOD, cried out against the altar: “O altar, altar! Thus said GOD: A son shall be born to the House of David, Josiah by name; and he shall slaughter upon you the priests of the shrines who bring offerings upon you. And human bones shall be burned upon you.”
וְנָתַן֩ בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֤וּא מוֹפֵת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֣ה הַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ נִקְרָ֔ע וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן אֲשֶׁר־עָלָֽיו׃ He gave a portent on that day, saying, “Here is the portent that GOD has decreed: This altar shall break apart, and the ashes on it shall be spilled.”
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יָרׇבְעָ֧ם אֶת־יָד֛וֹ מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֣ר ׀ תִּפְשֻׂ֑הוּ וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ יָדוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֣ח עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א יָכֹ֖ל לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֵלָֽיו׃ When the king heard what the agent of God had proclaimed against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his arm above the altar and cried, “Seize him!” But the arm that he stretched out against him became rigid, and he could not draw it back.
וְהַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ נִקְרָ֔ע וַיִּשָּׁפֵ֥ךְ הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן מִן־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כַּמּוֹפֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃ The altar broke apart and its ashes were spilled—the very portent that the agent of God had announced at GOD’s command.
וַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים חַל־נָ֞א אֶת־פְּנֵ֨י יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדִ֔י וְתָשֹׁ֥ב יָדִ֖י אֵלָ֑י וַיְחַ֤ל אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וַתָּ֤שׇׁב יַד־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַתְּהִ֖י כְּבָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ Then the king spoke up and said to the agent of God, “Please entreat the ETERNAL your God and pray for me that I may be able to draw back my arm.” The agent of God entreated GOD and the king was able to draw his arm back; it became as it was before.
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים בֹּֽאָה־אִתִּ֥י הַבַּ֖יְתָה וּֽסְעָ֑דָה וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לְךָ֖ מַתָּֽת׃ The king said to the agent of God, “Come with me to my house and have some refreshment; and I shall give you a gift.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־תִּתֶּן־לִי֙ אֶת־חֲצִ֣י בֵיתֶ֔ךָ לֹ֥א אָבֹ֖א עִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹא־אֹ֤כַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶשְׁתֶּה־מַּ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ But the agent of God replied to the king, “Even if you give me half your wealth, I will not go in with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water in this place;
כִּי־כֵ֣ן ׀ צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתָּ׃ for so I was commanded by the word of GOD: You shall eat no bread and drink no water, nor shall you go back by the road by which you came.”
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אַחֵ֑ר וְלֹא־שָׁ֣ב בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֛ר בָּ֥א בָ֖הּ אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃ {פ}
So he left by another road and did not go back by the road on which he had come to Bethel.
וְנָבִ֤יא אֶחָד֙ זָקֵ֔ן יֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וַיָּב֣וֹא בְנ֡וֹ וַיְסַפֶּר־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כׇּל־הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֩ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים ׀ הַיּ֜וֹם בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֗ל אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיְסַפְּר֖וּם לַאֲבִיהֶֽם׃ There was an old prophet living in Bethel; and his sonsbsons Heb. “son.” came and told him all the things that the agent of God had done that day in Bethel [and] the words that he had spoken to the king. When they told it to their father,
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֵי־זֶ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ הָלָ֑ךְ וַיִּרְא֣וּ בָנָ֗יו אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָלַךְ֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א מִיהוּדָֽה׃ their father said to them, “Which road did he leave by?” His sons had seencHis sons had seen Septuagint reads “And his sons showed.” the road taken by the agent of God who had come from Judah.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּנָ֔יו חִבְשׁוּ־לִ֖י הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיִּרְכַּ֖ב עָלָֽיו׃ “Saddle the donkey for me,” he said to his sons. They saddled the donkey for him, and he mounted it
וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים וַיִּ֨מְצָאֵ֔הוּ יֹשֵׁ֖ב תַּ֣חַת הָאֵלָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֗יו הַאַתָּ֧ה אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אתָ מִיהוּדָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽנִי׃ and rode after the agent of God. He came upon him sitting under a terebinth and said to him, “Are you the agent of God who came from Judah?” “Yes, I am,” he answered.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו לֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֖י הַבָּ֑יְתָה וֶאֱכֹ֖ל לָֽחֶם׃ “Come home with me,” he said, “and have something to eat.”
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֥א אוּכַ֛ל לָשׁ֥וּב אִתָּ֖ךְ וְלָב֣וֹא אִתָּ֑ךְ וְלֹא־אֹ֣כַל לֶ֗חֶם וְלֹֽא־אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה אִתְּךָ֙ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ He replied, “I may not go back with you and enter your home; and I may not eat bread or drink water in this place;
כִּֽי־דָבָ֤ר אֵלַי֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה לֹא־תֹאכַ֣ל לֶ֔חֶם וְלֹא־תִשְׁתֶּ֥ה שָׁ֖ם מָ֑יִם לֹא־תָשׁ֣וּב לָלֶ֔כֶת בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥כְתָּ בָּֽהּ׃ the order I received by the word of GOD was: You shall not eat bread or drink water there; nor shall you return by the road on which you came.”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י נָבִיא֮ כָּמ֒וֹךָ֒ וּמַלְאָ֡ךְ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלַי֩ בִּדְבַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲשִׁבֵ֤הוּ אִתְּךָ֙ אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְיֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְיֵ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם כִּחֵ֖שׁ לֽוֹ׃ “I am a prophet, too,” said the other, “and an angel said to me by command of GOD: Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.” He was lying to him.
וַיָּ֣שׇׁב אִתּ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֛חֶם בְּבֵית֖וֹ וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מָֽיִם׃ So he went back with him, and he ate bread and drank water in his house.
וַיְהִ֕י הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים אֶל־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן {פ}
וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־הַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃ While they were sitting at the table, the word of GOD came to the prophet who had brought him back.
וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤א מִֽיהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה יַ֗עַן כִּ֤י מָרִ֙יתָ֙ פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ He cried out to the agent of God who had come from Judah: “Thus said GOD: Because you have flouted the word of GOD and have not observed what the ETERNAL your God commanded you,
וַתָּ֗שׇׁב וַתֹּ֤אכַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וַתֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־תֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְאַל־תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם לֹא־תָב֥וֹא נִבְלָתְךָ֖ אֶל־קֶ֥בֶר אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ but have gone back and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which [God] said to you, ‘Do not eat bread or drink water [there],’ your corpse shall not come to the grave of your ancestors.”
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֛י אׇכְל֥וֹ לֶ֖חֶם וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שְׁתוֹת֑וֹ וַיַּחֲבׇשׁ־ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר לַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃ After he had eaten bread and had drunk, he saddled the donkey for him—for the prophet whom he had brought back.
וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָאֵ֧הוּ אַרְיֵ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ וַתְּהִ֤י נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהַֽחֲמוֹר֙ עֹמֵ֣ד אֶצְלָ֔הּ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֥צֶל הַנְּבֵלָֽה׃ He set out, and a lion came upon him on the road and killed him. His corpse lay on the road, with the donkey standing beside it, and the lion also standing beside the corpse.
וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֣ים עֹבְרִ֗ים וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֶת־הַנְּבֵלָה֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ בָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֛ר הַנָּבִ֥יא הַזָּקֵ֖ן יֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּֽהּ׃ Some people who passed by saw the corpse lying on the road and the lion standing beside the corpse; they went and told it in the town where the old prophet lived.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַנָּבִיא֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱשִׁיב֣וֹ מִן־הַדֶּ֒רֶךְ֒ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֣ים ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָרָ֖ה אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ יְהֹוָ֜ה לָאַרְיֵ֗ה וַֽיִּשְׁבְּרֵ֙הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֵ֔הוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּר־לֽוֹ׃ And when the prophet who had brought him back from the road heard it, he said, “That is the agent of God who flouted GOD’s command; GOD gave him over to the lion, which mauled him and killed him in accordance with the word that GOD had spoken to him.”
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חִבְשׁוּ־לִ֖י אֶֽת־הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃ He said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me,” and they did so.
וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָ֤א אֶת־נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַֽחֲמוֹר֙ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה לֹֽא־אָכַ֤ל הָֽאַרְיֵה֙ אֶת־הַנְּבֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁבַ֖ר אֶֽת־הַחֲמֽוֹר׃ He set out and found the corpse lying on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside the corpse; the lion had not eaten the corpse nor had it mauled the donkey.
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א הַנָּבִ֜יא אֶת־נִבְלַ֧ת אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וַיַּנִּחֵ֥הוּ אֶֽל־הַחֲמ֖וֹר וַיְשִׁיבֵ֑הוּ וַיָּבֹ֗א אֶל־עִיר֙ הַנָּבִ֣יא הַזָּקֵ֔ן לִסְפֹּ֖ד וּלְקׇבְרֽוֹ׃ The prophet lifted up the corpse of the agent of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back; it was broughtdit was brought Lit. “it came.” to the town of the old prophet for lamentation and burial.
וַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶת־נִבְלָת֖וֹ בְּקִבְר֑וֹ וַיִּסְפְּד֥וּ עָלָ֖יו ה֥וֹי אָחִֽי׃ He laid the corpse in his own burial place; and they lamented over it, “Alas, my brother!”
וַיְהִי֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י קׇבְר֣וֹ אֹתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בְּמוֹתִי֙ וּקְבַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֔י בַּקֶּ֕בֶר אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים קָב֣וּר בּ֑וֹ אֵ֚צֶל עַצְמֹתָ֔יו הַנִּ֖יחוּ אֶת־עַצְמֹתָֽי׃ After burying him, he said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in the grave where the agent of God lies buried; lay my bones beside his.
כִּי֩ הָיֹ֨ה יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרָא֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וְעַל֙ כׇּל־בָּתֵּ֣י הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעָרֵ֥י שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ {פ}
For what he announced by the word of GOD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the cult places in the towns of Samaria, shall surely come true.”
אַחַר֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹא־שָׁ֥ב יָרׇבְעָ֖ם מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה וַ֠יָּ֠שׇׁב וַיַּ֜עַשׂ מִקְצ֤וֹת הָעָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ יְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־יָד֔וֹ וִיהִ֖י כֹּהֲנֵ֥י בָמֽוֹת׃ Even after this incident, Jeroboam did not turn back from his evil way, but kept on appointing priests for the shrines from the ranks of the people. He ordained as priests of the shrines any who so desired.
וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְחַטַּ֖את בֵּ֣ית יָרׇבְעָ֑ם וּלְהַכְחִיד֙ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֔יד מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ {פ}
Thereby the House of Jeroboam incurred guilt—to their utter annihilation from the face of the earth.