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course, a much deeper and symbolical meaning. They indicated that Bethel lay under
the ban; that no fellowship of any kind was to be held with it; and that even the way by
which the messenger of God had come, was to be regarded as consecrated, and not to
be retraced.^214
In the discharge of the commission entrusted to him, the "man of God," who had "come
in the word of Jehovah," was to consider himself as an impersonal being - till he was
beyond the place to which, and the road by which he had been sent. Whatever view,
therefore, we may take of his after-conduct, it cannot at least surprise us, that at that
moment no earthly temptation could have induced him to accept the king's offer (1
Kings 13:8, 9).
Yet, as we think of it, the answer of the "man of God" seems to us disappointing. It is
like that of Balaam to the messengers of Balak (Numbers 22:13, 18), and yet we know
that all along his heart was with them, and that he afterwards yielded to their
solicitations, to his own destruction. We would have expected more from the "man of
God" than a mere recital of his orders -some expression of feeling like that of Daniel
under analogous circumstances (Daniel 5:17). But, in repeating before all the people
the express command which God had given him, the "man of God," like Balaam of old,
also pronounced his own necessary doom, if he swerved from the injunction laid upon
him. He had borne testimony - and by the testimony of his own mouth he must be
content to be judged; he was quite certain of the command which God had laid upon
him, and by that certainty he must abide.
And at first it seemed as if he would have done so. His message delivered, he left
Bethel by another way than that which he had come. Among his astonished audience
that day had been the sons of an old resident in Bethel, whose real character it is not
easy to read.^215
In the sacred narrative he is throughout designated as Navi, or Prophet (literally: one
who wells forth"), while the Divine messenger from Judah is always described as "man
of Elohim" - a distinction which must have its meaning. On their return from the idol-
temple, the eldest of his sons^216 described to the old prophet the scene which they had
witnessed. Inquiring from them what road the "man of God" had taken - which they,
and probably many others had watched^217 - he hastily rode after him, and overtook
him.
The "man of Elohim" was resting under "the terebinth" -apparently a well-known spot
where travelers were wont to unlade their beasts of burden, and to halt for shelter and
repose (a kind of "Travelers' Rest"). Repeating the invitation of Jeroboam, he received
the same answer as the king. There could be even less hesitation now, since the "man
of God" had actually left Bethel, nor could he possibly have deemed it right to return
(^)