Jeroboam’s Hand Withers
וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ אִ֣ישׁ אֱלֹהִ֗ים בָּ֧א מִיהוּדָ֛ה בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְיָרָבְעָ֛ם עֹמֵ֥ד עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לְהַקְטִֽיר׃
Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
וַיִּקְרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מִזְבֵּ֣חַ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּֽה־בֵ֞ן נוֹלָ֤ד לְבֵית־דָּוִד֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ שְׁמ֔וֹ וְזָבַ֣ח עָלֶ֗יךָ אֶת־כֹּהֲנֵ֤י הַבָּמוֹת֙ הַמַּקְטִרִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ וְעַצְמ֥וֹת אָדָ֖ם יִשְׂרְפ֥וּ עָלֶֽיךָ׃
And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’”
וְנָתַן֩ בַּיּ֨וֹם הַה֤וּא מוֹפֵת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר זֶ֣ה הַמּוֹפֵ֔ת אֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ נִקְרָ֔ע וְנִשְׁפַּ֖ךְ הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן אֲשֶׁר־עָלָֽיו׃
That day the man of God gave a sign, saying, “The LORD has spoken this sign: ‘Surely the altar will be split apart, and the ashes upon it will be poured out.’”
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤א עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֔ל וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח יָרָבְעָ֧ם אֶת־יָד֛וֹ מֵעַ֥ל הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ לֵאמֹ֣ר׀ תִּפְשֻׂ֑הוּ וַתִּיבַ֤שׁ יָדוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁלַ֣ח עָלָ֔יו וְלֹ֥א יָכֹ֖ל לַהֲשִׁיבָ֥הּ אֵלָֽיו׃
Now when King Jeroboam, who was at the altar in Bethel, heard the word that the man of God had cried out against it, he stretched out his hand and said, “Seize him!” But the hand he stretched out toward him withered, so that he could not pull it back.
וְהַמִּזְבֵּ֣חַ נִקְרָ֔ע וַיִּשָּׁפֵ֥ךְ הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן מִן־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כַּמּוֹפֵ֗ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֛ן אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
And the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.
וַיַּ֨עַן הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים חַל־נָ֞א אֶת־פְּנֵ֨י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ וְהִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל בַּעֲדִ֔י וְתָשֹׁ֥ב יָדִ֖י אֵלָ֑י וַיְחַ֤ל אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתָּ֤שָׁב יַד־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֵלָ֔יו וַתְּהִ֖י כְּבָרִֽאשֹׁנָֽה׃
Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before.
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים בֹּאָה־אִתִּ֥י הַבַּ֖יְתָה וּֽסְעָ֑דָה וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה לְךָ֖ מַתָּֽת׃
Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אִישׁ־הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אִם־תִּתֶּן־לִי֙ אֶת־חֲצִ֣י בֵיתֶ֔ךָ לֹ֥א אָבֹ֖א עִמָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־אֹ֤כַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א אֶשְׁתֶּה־מַּ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
But the man of God replied, “If you were to give me half your possessions, I still would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.
כִּֽי־כֵ֣ן׀ צִוָּ֣ה אֹתִ֗י בִּדְבַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־תֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְלֹ֣א תִשְׁתֶּה־מָּ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א תָשׁ֔וּב בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלָֽכְתָּ׃
For this is what I was commanded by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.’”
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אַחֵ֑ר וְלֹֽא־שָׁ֣ב בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֛ר בָּ֥א בָ֖הּ אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵֽל׃ פ
So the man of God went another way and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.
The Old Prophet and the Man of God
וְנָבִ֤יא אֶחָד֙ זָקֵ֔ן יֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וַיָּב֣וֹא בְנ֡וֹ וַיְסַפֶּר־ל֣וֹ אֶת־כָּל־הַמַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֩ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֨ים׀ הַיּ֜וֹם בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֗ל אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיְסַפְּר֖וּם לַאֲבִיהֶֽם׃
Now a certain old prophet was living in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the deeds that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told their father the words that the man had spoken to the king.
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אֲבִיהֶ֔ם אֵֽי־זֶ֥ה הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ הָלָ֑ךְ וַיִּרְא֣וּ בָנָ֗יו אֶת־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הָלַךְ֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֖א מִיהוּדָֽה׃
“Which way did he go?” their father asked. And his sons showed him the way taken by the man of God, who had come from Judah.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־בָּנָ֔יו חִבְשׁוּ־לִ֖י הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַיַּחְבְּשׁוּ־ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר וַיִּרְכַּ֖ב עָלָֽיו׃
So the prophet said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” Then 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 מִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽנִי׃
and went after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “I am,” he replied.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו לֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֖י הַבָּ֑יְתָה וֶאֱכֹ֖ל לָֽחֶם׃
So the prophet said to the man of God, “Come home with me and eat some bread.”
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֥א אוּכַ֛ל לָשׁ֥וּב אִתָּ֖ךְ וְלָב֣וֹא אִתָּ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־אֹ֣כַל לֶ֗חֶם וְלֹֽא־אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה אִתְּךָ֙ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
But the man replied, “I cannot go home with you, and I will not eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
כִּֽי־דָבָ֤ר אֵלַי֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה לֹֽא־תֹאכַ֣ל לֶ֔חֶם וְלֹֽא־תִשְׁתֶּ֥ה שָׁ֖ם מָ֑יִם לֹא־תָשׁ֣וּב לָלֶ֔כֶת בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֥כְתָּ בָּֽהּ׃
For 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.’”
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ גַּם־אֲנִ֣י נָבִיא֮ כָּמוֹךָ֒ וּמַלְאָ֡ךְ דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלַי֩ בִּדְבַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הֲשִׁבֵ֤הוּ אִתְּךָ֙ אֶל־בֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְיֹ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְיֵ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם כִּחֵ֖שׁ לֽוֹ׃
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,
וַיָּ֣שָׁב אִתּ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֛חֶם בְּבֵית֖וֹ וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מָֽיִם׃
but the man of God went back with him, ate bread in his house, and drank water.
וַיְהִ֕י הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים אֶל־הַשֻּׁלְחָ֑ן פ וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה אֶל־הַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃
While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back,
וַיִּקְרָ֞א אֶל־אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֤א מִֽיהוּדָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה יַ֗עַן כִּ֤י מָרִ֙יתָ֙ פִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְלֹ֤א שָׁמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אֶת־הַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃
and the prophet cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the commandment that the LORD your God gave you,
וַתָּ֗שָׁב וַתֹּ֤אכַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וַתֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מַ֔יִם בַּמָּקוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ אַל־תֹּ֥אכַל לֶ֖חֶם וְאַל־תֵּ֣שְׁתְּ מָ֑יִם לֹֽא־תָב֥וֹא נִבְלָתְךָ֖ אֶל־קֶ֥בֶר אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃
but you went back and ate bread and drank water in the place where He told you not to do so, your body shall never reach the tomb of your fathers.’”
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵ֛י אָכְל֥וֹ לֶ֖חֶם וְאַחֲרֵ֣י שְׁתוֹת֑וֹ וַיַּחֲבָשׁ־ל֣וֹ הַחֲמ֔וֹר לַנָּבִ֖יא אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֱשִׁיבֽוֹ׃
And after the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the old prophet who had brought him back saddled the donkey for him.
וַיֵּ֕לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָאֵ֧הוּ אַרְיֵ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ וַיְמִיתֵ֑הוּ וַתְּהִ֤י נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהַחֲמוֹר֙ עֹמֵ֣ד אֶצְלָ֔הּ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֥צֶל הַנְּבֵלָֽה׃
As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it.
וְהִנֵּ֧ה אֲנָשִׁ֣ים עֹבְרִ֗ים וַיִּרְא֤וּ אֶת־הַנְּבֵלָה֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְאֶת־הָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמֵ֖ד אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ בָעִ֔יר אֲשֶׁ֛ר הַנָּבִ֥יא הַזָּקֵ֖ן יֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּֽהּ׃
And there were men passing by who saw the body lying in the road with the lion standing beside it, and they went and reported this in the city where the old prophet lived.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע הַנָּבִיא֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֱשִׁיב֣וֹ מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ֒ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֣ים ה֔וּא אֲשֶׁ֥ר מָרָ֖ה אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּתְּנֵ֨הוּ יְהוָ֜ה לָאַרְיֵ֗ה וַֽיִּשְׁבְּרֵ֙הוּ֙ וַיְמִתֵ֔הוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּר־לֽוֹ׃
When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard this, he said, “It is the man of God who disobeyed the command of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, and it has mauled him and killed him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken to him.”
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חִבְשׁוּ־לִ֖י אֶֽת־הַחֲמ֑וֹר וַֽיַּחֲבֹֽשׁוּ׃
Then the old prophet instructed his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it,
וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַיִּמְצָ֤א אֶת־נִבְלָתוֹ֙ מֻשְׁלֶ֣כֶת בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַֽחֲמוֹר֙ וְהָ֣אַרְיֵ֔ה עֹמְדִ֖ים אֵ֣צֶל הַנְּבֵלָ֑ה לֹֽא־אָכַ֤ל הָֽאַרְיֵה֙ אֶת־הַנְּבֵלָ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁבַ֖ר אֶֽת־הַחֲמֽוֹר׃
and he went and found the body lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had not eaten the body or mauled the donkey.
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א הַנָּבִ֜יא אֶת־נִבְלַ֧ת אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וַיַּנִּחֵ֥הוּ אֶֽל־הַחֲמ֖וֹר וַיְשִׁיבֵ֑הוּ וַיָּבֹ֗א אֶל־עִיר֙ הַנָּבִ֣יא הַזָּקֵ֔ן לִסְפֹּ֖ד וּלְקָבְרֽוֹ׃
So the old prophet lifted up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own city to mourn for him and bury him.
וַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶת־נִבְלָת֖וֹ בְּקִבְר֑וֹ וַיִּסְפְּד֥וּ עָלָ֖יו ה֥וֹי אָחִֽי׃
Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they lamented over him, “Oh, my brother!”
וַיְהִי֮ אַחֲרֵ֣י קָבְר֣וֹ אֹתוֹ֒ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־בָּנָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בְּמוֹתִי֙ וּקְבַרְתֶּ֣ם אֹתִ֔י בַּקֶּ֕בֶר אֲשֶׁ֛ר אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים קָב֣וּר בּ֑וֹ אֵ֚צֶל עַצְמֹתָ֔יו הַנִּ֖יחוּ אֶת־עַצְמֹתָֽי׃
After he had buried him, the prophet said to his sons, “When I die, you must bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones,
כִּי֩ הָיֹ֨ה יִהְיֶ֜ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרָא֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּבֵֽית־אֵ֑ל וְעַל֙ כָּל־בָּתֵּ֣י הַבָּמ֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעָרֵ֥י שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃ פ
for the message that he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the cities of Samaria will surely come to pass.”
אַחַר֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹֽא־שָׁ֥ב יָרָבְעָ֖ם מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה וַ֠יָּשָׁב וַיַּ֜עַשׂ מִקְצ֤וֹת הָעָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ יְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־יָד֔וֹ וִיהִ֖י כֹּהֲנֵ֥י בָמֽוֹת׃
Even after these events, Jeroboam did not repent of his evil ways, but again he appointed priests for the high places from every class of people. He ordained anyone who desired to be a priest of the high places.
וַיְהִי֙ בַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לְחַטַּ֖את בֵּ֣ית יָרָבְעָ֑ם וּלְהַכְחִיד֙ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֔יד מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃ פ
And this was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its extermination and destruction from the face of the earth.