What Does 1 Kings 13:32 Mean in the King James?
For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew holds the spoken word and the thing that will be as one movement: the declaration is already bound to its fulfillment.
THE MEANING
When the altar and high places seem established, the word spoken against them still stands on its way to fulfillment. The Hebrew joins “word” with a doubled form of “be,” holding the declaration and its coming to pass together. The verse states its verdict plainly.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie this undoes is that what is already established is beyond the reach of the word spoken against it.
THE ROOT
הַדָּבָר
hadavar
GROWS FROM
ד־ב־ר
d-b-r
Word, matter, thing; the related verb means to speak.
“saying / word” in this verse is hadavar. The same Hebrew word appears first as “saying” and then as “word.” Davar can also mean a matter or thing, bringing the spoken declaration and the matter it names into one semantic field.
ALSO GROWS
davar: Word, matter, thing
דָּבָר
This is the word translated both “saying” and “word” here, joining speech with the matter being declared.
dibber: Spoke
דִּבֵּר
The related verb makes the connection between the word and the act of speaking explicit.
הָיֹה יִהְיֶה
hayoh yihyeh
GROWS FROM
ה־י־ה
h-y-h
To be, become, happen.
“shall surely come to pass” in this verse is hayoh yihyeh. The Hebrew repeats the root of “be” in an emphatic construction: literally, “being, it will be.” Fulfillment is expressed as certainty of being, rather than mere possibility.
ALSO GROWS
hayah: Be, become, happen
הָיָה
This is the root’s basic sense, underneath the verse’s promise that the word will come to be.
yihyeh: He/it will be
יִהְיֶה
This form appears in the verse’s emphatic phrase, making the promised fulfillment a matter of what will be.
THE PATTERN
A word from God does not remain detached speech; it reaches the event it declares.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.For with God nothing shall be impossible.THE THREAD
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.Isaiah uses the same Hebrew word, davar, for “word” and describes it going out to accomplish its purpose. That makes explicit the movement held compactly in this verse: the word spoken against the altar is bound to what will be.
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