And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcass was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcass.
All Commentaries on 1 Kings 13:24 Go To 1 Kings 13
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Killed him. Thus the Lord often punishes his servants here, that he may spare them hereafter. For the generality of divines are of opinion, that the sin of this prophet, considered with all its circumstances, was not mortal. (Challoner)
He had received a positive order, and ought to have tried the spirits, whether they were from God, 1 John iv. 1., and Galatians vi. 18. Every prophecy which contradicts the word of God, comes from an evil principle. (Calmet)
The prophet might suppose, however, that some cause had intervened, which authorized him to eat with this his brother, (ver. 30.) whom he probably revered as a true prophet. Many of God's commands are conditional. (Haydock)
Serenus observes, that God often inflicts death for the smallest faults. (Cassian vii. 26.) (St. Gregory, Dial. iv. 24.)
St. Augustine (cura, c. 7.) doubts not of the prophet's salvation.
Body, without even hurting the ass, ver. 28. (Haydock)
God protected the relics of his servant, by stationing the lion for a guard. (Procopius) (Menochius)
How impenetrable are the counsels of God! He suffers Jeroboam, and the prophet who had seduced his servant, to live; while he punishes the latter for a fault which he had committed undesignedly. But he thus purified him from guilt, (Calmet) while he reserved Jeroboam for more lasting torments in another world. (Haydock)
Nothing could prove more forcibly the existence of future rewards and punishments. (Calmet)
Not only the deceiver, but he also who is deceived, so as to transgress God's orders, must be punished. (Worthington)
