1 Kings 13:8

Obedience

⁶ Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray 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.

⁷ Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.”

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.

⁹ 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.’”

¹⁰ So the man of God went another way and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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.
KJV: And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
WEB: The man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of your house, I would not go in with you, neither would I eat bread nor drink water in this place;
ASV: And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thy house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place;
DARBY: And the man of God said to the king, If thou wilt give me half thy house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place;
BLB: And the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give to me half of your house, I would not go in with you, nor would I eat bread nor drink water in this place.

ÅB: Men den Guds mann sa til kongen: Om du gav meg halvdelen av ditt hus, ville jeg dog ikke gå hjem til deg; på dette sted vil jeg hverken spise brød eller drikke vann.
OTB: Men Guds mann svarte kongen, “Selv om du skulle gi meg halvparten av dine eiendeler, ville jeg ikke gå med deg, og jeg ville heller ikke spise brød eller drikke vann på dette stedet.
B1930: Men den Guds mann sa til kongen: Om du gav mig halvdelen av ditt hus, vilde jeg dog ikke gå hjem til dig; på dette sted vil jeg hverken ete brød eller drikke vann.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Numbers 24:13
that even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the LORD? I will speak whatever the LORD says.
Read in context
Numbers 22:18
But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “If Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything small or great to go beyond the command of the LORD my God.
Read in context
Mark 6:11
If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.”
Read in context
Exodus 7:2
You are to speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land.
Read in context
2 Kings 5:26–27
But Elisha questioned him, “Did not my spirit go with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants?
Read in context
2 Corinthians 11:9–10
And when I was with you and in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my needs. I have refrained from being a burden to you in any way, and I will continue to do so.
Read in context
Mark 6:23
And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
Read in context
Exodus 5:6
That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
Read in context