And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Yet from that love of the human heart, because of which “no one ever hated his own flesh,” if people believe that anything would be lacking to their bodies after death that in their own people or country the solemnity of burial demands, they become sad, and before death they fear for their bodies that which has no effect on them after death. Thus we read in the book of Kings that God through a prophet threatens another prophet who transgressed his word, that his body should not be returned to the sepulcher of his ancestors. Scripture records it in these words: “Thus says the Lord: Because you have not been obedient to the Lord and have not kept the commandment that the Lord your God commanded you, and have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place wherein he commanded you that you should not eat bread or drink water, your dead shall not be brought in the sepulcher of your ancestors.” If we consider the extent of this punishment according to the Evangelist where we learn tha...
Samaria. It seems this word has been inserted instead of Juda, as it is certain the prophet came thence, ver. 17., and 3 Kings xiii. 32. (Calmet)
But thus both prophets would be identified. It would rather appear that the seducing prophet, who resided at Bethel, is here said to have come out of Samaria, though that place was not raised to the dignity of a royal city (Haydock) till 50 years afterwards. (Calmet)
There might be a town there long before; and, at any rate, he belonged to the kingdom of Jeroboam, or of Samaria. (Haydock)
His faith in the prophet's prediction was, perhaps, thus rewarded, (Menochius) as his bones were left unmolested, on account of their being buried in the same sepulchre with the man of God. (Haydock)
