1 Kings 13:29

Authorized King James Version

And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיִּשָּׂ֨א
took up
to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
#2
הַנָּבִ֣יא
And the prophet
a prophet or (generally) inspired man
#3
אֶת
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
#4
נִבְלַ֧ת
the carcase
a flabby thing, i.e., a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol
#5
אִישׁ
of the man
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
#6
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֛ים
of God
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
#7
וַיַּנִּחֵ֥הוּ
and laid
to deposit; by implication, to allow to stay
#8
אֶֽל
near, with or among; often in general, to
#9
הַחֲמ֖וֹר
it upon the ass
a male ass (from its dun red)
#10
וַיְשִׁיבֵ֑הוּ
and brought it back
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
#11
וַיָּבֹ֗א
came
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
#12
אֶל
near, with or among; often in general, to
#13
עִיר֙
to the city
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
#14
הַנָּבִ֣יא
And the prophet
a prophet or (generally) inspired man
#15
הַזָּקֵ֔ן
and the old
old
#16
לִסְפֹּ֖ד
to mourn
properly, to tear the hair and beat the breasts (as middle easterners do in grief); generally to lament; by implication, to wail
#17
וּלְקָבְרֽוֹ׃
and to bury
to inter

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine sovereignty contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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