11 And a certain aged prophet is dwelling in Beth-El, and his son cometh and recounteth to him all the deed that the man of God hath done to-day in Beth-El, the words that he hath spoken unto the king,—yea, they recount them to their father. 12 And their father saith unto them, 'Where 'is' this—the way he hath gone?' and his sons see the way that the man of God hath gone who came from Judah. 13 And he saith unto his sons, 'Saddle for me the ass,' and they saddle for him the ass, and he rideth on it, 14 and goeth after the man of God, and findeth him sitting under the oak, and saith unto him, 'Art thou the man of God who hast come from Judah?' and he saith, 'I 'am'.' 15 And he saith unto him, 'Come with me to the house, and eat bread.' 16 And he saith, 'I am not able to turn back with thee, and to go in with thee, nor do I eat bread or drink with thee water in this place, 17 for a word 'is' unto me by the word of Jehovah, Thou dost not eat bread nor drink there water, thou dost not turn back to go in the way in which thou camest.' 18 And he saith to him, 'I also 'am' a prophet like thee, and a messenger spake unto me by the word of Jehovah, saying, Bring him back with thee unto thy house, and he doth eat bread and drink water;'—he hath lied to him. 19 And he turneth back with him, and eateth bread in his house, and drinketh water.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 13:11-19
Commentary on 1 Kings 13:11-22
(Read 1 Kings 13:11-22)
The old prophet's conduct proves that he was not really a godly man. When the change took place under Jeroboam, he preferred his ease and interest to his religion. He took a very bad method to bring the good prophet back. It was all a lie. Believers are most in danger of being drawn from their duty by plausible pretences of holiness. We may wonder that the wicked prophet went unpunished, while the holy man of God was suddenly and severely punished. What shall we make of this? The judgments of God are beyond our power to fathom; and there is a judgment to come. Nothing can excuse any act of wilful disobedience. This shows what they must expect who hearken to the great deceiver. They that yield to him as a tempter, will be terrified by him as a tormentor. Those whom he now fawns upon, he will afterwards fly upon; and whom he draws into sin, he will try to drive to despair.