- the word of the LORD[YHWH]:
- "A great clamour," says Dr. Kennicott, "has been raised against this part of history, on account of God's denouncing sentence on the true prophet by the mouth of the false prophet; but if we examine with attention the original words here, they will be found to signify either he who brought him back, or, whom he had brought back; for the very same words, asher heshivo, occur again, "And it came to pass,¹ afterª he had eatenª° bread,ª and afterª he had drunk,ª° that he saddledª° for him the ass,ª [to wit], for the prophetª whom¹ he had brought back.ª°" {1Kg 13:23}, where they are now translated, whom he had brought back; and where they cannot be translated otherwise. This being the case, we are at liberty to consider the words of the Lord as delivered to the true prophet, thus brought back; and then the sentence is pronounced by God himself, calling to him out of heaven, as in "And the angelª of the LORDª calledª° unto¹ him out of¹ heaven,ª and said,ª° Abraham,ª Abraham:ª and he said,ª° Here¹ [am] I." {Gen 22:11}. And that this doom was thus pronounced by God, not by the false prophet, we are assured in "And when the prophetª that¹ brought him backª° from¹ the wayª heardª° [thereof], he said,ª° It¹ [is] the manª of God,ª who¹ was disobedientª° unto¹ the wordª of the LORD:ª therefore the LORDª hath deliveredª° him unto the lion,ª which hath tornª° him, and slainª° him, according to the wordª of the LORD,ª which¹ he spakeª° unto him." {1Kg 13:26}. 'The Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, according to the word of the Lord, which He spake unto him.' Josephus (and also the Arabic) asserts, that the sentence was declared by God to the true prophet." "And the LORDª putª° a wordª in Balaam'sª mouth,ª and said,ª° Returnª° unto¹ Balak,ª and thus¹ thou shalt speak.ª°" {Num 23:5} + "And the LORDª metª°¹ Balaam,ª and putª° a wordª in his mouth,ª and said,ª° Go againª° unto¹ Balak,ª and sayª° thus.¹" {Num 23:16} + "He hath said,ª° which heardª° the wordsª of God,ª which¹ sawª° the visionª of the Almighty,ª fallingª° [into a trance], but having his eyesª open:ª°" {Num 24:4} + "He hath said,ª° which heardª° the wordsª of God,ª and knewª° the knowledgeª of the most High,ª [which] sawª° the visionª of the Almighty,ª fallingª° [into a trance], but having his eyesª open:ª° ... And shipsª [shall come] from the coastª¹ of Chittim,ª and shall afflictª° Asshur,ª and shall afflictª° Eber,ª and he¹ also¹ shall perishª for ever.ª" {Num 24:16-24} + "Manyª will sayª° to meª inª thatª day,ª Lord,ª Lord,ª have we²° notª prophesiedª° in thyª name?ª andª in thyª name²¹ have cast outª° devils?ª andª in thyª nameª doneª° manyª wonderful works?ª" {Mtt 7:22} + "Andª thisª spake¹ he²° notª ofª himself:ª butª beingª° high priestª thatª year,ª he prophesiedª° thatª Jesusª shouldª° dieª° for¹ that² nation;ª" {Jhn 11:51} + "Andª thoughª I haveª° [the gift of] prophecy,ª andª understandª° allª mysteries,ª andª allª knowledge;ª andª thoughª I haveª° allª faith,ª so² that¹ I could removeª° mountains,ª andª haveª° notª charity,ª I amª° nothing.ª" {1Co 13:2}
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