1 Kings 13:2 Meaning and Explanation
“And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The prophet announces that a future king of David's line, Josiah by name, will one day defile this altar by sacrificing its illegitimate priests upon it.
What Does 1 Kings 13:2 Mean?
Addressing the altar itself, the man of God speaks a startling prophecy: a king named Josiah, not yet born, will undo what Jeroboam has built. This word would be fulfilled roughly three centuries later (2 Kings 23:15-16), when Josiah tore down the Bethel altar and burned bones upon it.
To name a deliverer generations before his birth is to show that history is not a blind drift but a story God already holds. The promise to the house of David endures even while the kingdom is divided. What looks permanent to the proud is already marked for undoing in the counsel of the LORD.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 13:2
What does 1 Kings 13:2 mean?
The prophet announces that a future king of David's line, Josiah by name, will one day defile this altar by sacrificing its illegitimate priests upon it.