But when in the temple of our God, that wicked king Jeroboam took away the gifts that his father had laid up and offered them to idols on the holy altar, did not his right hand, which he stretched, wither, and his idols, which he called on, were not able to help him? Then, turning to the Lord, he asked for pardon, and at once his hand, which had withered by sacrilege, was healed by true religion. So complete an example was there set forth in one person, both of divine mercy and wrath, when he who was sacrificing suddenly lost his right hand but when penitent received forgiveness. ^[1] WHICH WAS THE OLD PROPHET’S REAL INTENTION? ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: Some authors^[1] assert that [the old prophet] was not an impostor but invited [the true prophet] to eat out of human sympathy in order to refresh and thank him for admonishing Jeroboam. And that is why God did not harm him as a consequence of this. According to others, he was a false prophet because, if he had been a true prophet, as others maintained, he would have not seduced a true prophet, and his children would not have served in a house of idols;^[2] therefore it was in order to seduce him that he went to meet the prophet. ^[3]

For even if God does prefer the works of righteousness, still, these works are not without sacrifice, which represents a soul afflicted with fasts. He, at all events, is the God to whom neither a people incontinent of appetite nor a priest nor a prophet was pleasing. To this day the monuments of concupiscence remain, where the people, greedy of flesh—until, by devouring without digesting the quails, they brought on cholera—were buried. Eli breaks his neck before the temple doors,^[1] his sons fall in battle, his daughter-in-law expires in childbirth.^[2] For such was the blow that had been deserved at the hand of God by the shameless house, the defrauder of the fleshy sacrifices.^[3] Sameas,^[4] a man of God, after prophesying the issue of the idolatry introduced by king Jeroboam (the drying up and immediate restoration of that king’s hand; after the rending in two of the sacrificial altar), being on account of these signs invited [home] by the king by way of reward, plainly declined [for he had been prohibited by God] to touch food at all in that place. However, having presently afterwards rashly taken food from another old man who deceitfully professed himself a prophet, he was deprived of burial in his fathers’ sepulchers, in accordance with the word of God then and there uttered over the table. For he was felled by the rushing of a lion on him along the way and was buried among strangers; and thus he paid the penalty of his breach of fast. These will be warnings both to people and to bishops, even spiritual ones, in case they may ever have been guilty of not controlling their appetite.

Yet from that love of the human heart, because of which no one ever hated his own flesh,^[1] if people believe that anything would be lacking to their bodies after death that in their own people or country the solemnity of burial demands, they become sad . . . , and before death they fear for their bodies that which has no effect on them after death. Thus we read in the book of Kings that God through a prophet threatens another prophet who transgressed his word, that his body should not be returned to the sepulcher of his ancestors. Scripture records it in these words: Thus says the Lord: Because you have not been obedient to the Lord and have not kept the commandment that the Lord your God commanded you, and [you] have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place where he commanded you that you should not eat bread or drink water, your dead shall not be brought in the sepulcher of your ancestors. If we consider the extent of this punishment according to the Evangelist, where we learn that after the body has been slain there is no occasion to fear that the lifeless members will suffer, it should not be called punishment. But, if we consider it in relation to the love of a person for his own flesh, then he might have been frightened and saddened while living at what he was not to feel when dead. This, then, was the nature of the punishment: The soul grieved that something would happen to its body, although, when it did happen, the soul did not grieve. Only to this extent did the Lord wish to punish his servant, for it was not from his own obstinacy that he refused to carry out the command, but, because of the deceit of another person who was deceiving him, he thought he obeyed when he did not obey. ^[2] THE LION ACTED ACCORDING TO GOD’S COMMAND. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: Through the words a lion killed him [the Scripture] shows that [the lion] strangled and killed him according to God’s command. And through the sentence it did not eat him, it shows that [the animal] was not urged by hunger but acted in compliance with God’s order. And this was done in order that Jeroboam and his priests might understand that, if this had happened to the prophet just because he had eaten, something extremely more serious would happen to those who made offerings to the idols. ^[1]

It is not to be imagined that one has been so annihilated by the teeth of a beast that his soul has then been snatched away to infernal punishment, since the same lion who killed his very body guarded it. Even the beast of burden on which the man had been riding was unhurt and with great courage stood in the presence of the wild beast at the destruction of his master. By this miraculous sign it is made clear that the man of God was corrected temporarily even at the point of death rather than that he was punished after death. On this subject the apostle Paul, when he had made mention of certain unpleasant infirmities and death experienced by many, said, But if we judged ourselves, we should not thus be judged by the Lord. But when we are judged, we are being chastised by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.^[1]

It is written in the Scriptures, But the just man, though he die early, shall be at rest.^[1] What, then, does it matter to the just if they undergo harsh treatment at death, since they are on their way to eternal life? Sometimes, perhaps, it is a fault of theirs, slight though it be, that has to be expiated by such a death. For this reason the reprobate are given power over the just while they are still alive. But, once the just have died, the wicked are punished all the more severely because of the cruel power they exercised against holy people. This is demonstrated in the case of the barbarian who was permitted by God to strike down the deacon but was not allowed to rejoice over his death. It is also verified in holy Scripture. The man of God, for instance, who was sent to Samaria stopped on the way for a meal, contrary to God’s command. For this disobedience he was killed by a lion. But Scripture at once adds that the donkey and the lion were standing by the dead prophet, and the lion had not eaten of the dead body. From this passage we see that the sin of disobedience was atoned for by his death, because the lion attacked the living prophet and killed him, yet did not dare touch him once he was dead. God allowed the beast to kill, but not to eat of its kill, because the prophet, though blameworthy in life, was sanctified in the death he suffered as a punishment for his disobedience. In the first instance the lion took away the life of a sinner; in the second he stood guard over the body of a just man.

We know that even saintly men have been given over in the flesh to Satan and to great afflictions for some very slight faults, since the divine mercy will not tolerate the very least spot or stain to be found in them on the day of judgment, and purges away in this world every spot of their filth, as the prophet, or rather God himself says, in order that he may commit them to eternity as gold or silver refined and needing no penal purification. And, he says,I will clean purge away your dross, and I will take away all your sin; and after this you will be called the city of the just, a faithful city.^[1] And again: Just as silver and gold are tried in the furnace, so the Lord chooses hearts.^[2] And again: The fire tries gold and silver, but man is tried in the furnace of humiliation.^[3] And this also: For the Lord chastens those whom he loves, and he disciplines every son whom he receives.^[4]. We see a clear instance of this in the case of the prophet and man of God in the third book of Kings who was immediately destroyed by a lion for a single disobedience, in which he was implicated not of set purpose nor by the fault of his own will but by the enticement of another. As the Scripture says of him: It is the man of God, who disobeyed the word of the Lord, and the Lord delivered him to the lion, and it killed him according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke. The punishment for his present offense and his careless error—together with the reward for his righteousness—for which the Lord gave over his prophet in this world to the destroyer appeared in the moderation and abstinence of the beast of prey, when that most savage creature did not dare even to taste the carcass that was given over to him.

While this old man insists in saying to his sons that he wants them to bury him, their father, in the grave of the prophet Shemaiah^[1] and hopes that his bones will find peace, he represents the allegorical type of an ancient Adam who exhorts and even urges his sons to lower him into baptism, which is the grave of the Emmanuel. Through him all those who have been buried with him through baptism certainly hope for peace and life.^[2] On the other hand, when this same old man lies and deceives the other prophet, he represents the Jewish people, about whom we read in the psalm: But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.^[3]

Well did the man who had deceived the man of God bury him with honor in his own tomb and give orders that he himself should be buried next to his bones, hoping thus to spare his own bones. He knew that the time would come according to the prophecy of that man of God when Josiah, king of the Jews, would dig up in the land the bones of many dead and with them defile the sacrilegious altars that had been set up for graven images. He spared that tomb where the prophet lay who more than three hundred years before had predicted these things. And because of him the burying place of the man who deceived him was not violated.^[1] By that love because of which no one ever hated his own flesh, he provided for his own corpse, while he had slain his soul by deceit. From this fact, then, because each one naturally loves his own flesh, it was punishment for him to learn that he would not be in the tomb of his fathers. So he took care that his bones be spared by burying them next to him whose tomb no one would violate.

At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam fell sick, and [the king], being worried for the health of his son, sent his wife to the prophet Ahijah because he was confident that through the prayers of that holy man he would obtain from God, whom he had repudiated, the healing of his son. And he did not want the queen to appear [before the prophet] without a present against the custom of the ancestors. Therefore she took ten loaves of bread, that is, ten soldiers’ biscuits, a jar of honey and dry fruits^[1]: the Greek text has staphylas, that is, grapes, instead of dry fruits. He did not want her to offer a regal present, lest she might appear in her real nature.

But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet as she came in at the door, he said, Come in, wife of Jeroboam; why do you pretend to be another? He heard her coming in, [the text] says, because he could not see anymore after his eyes had become dim from his old age. Yet through divine revelation he understood that she was Jeroboam’s wife, even though she wanted to hide this from the prophet, whom she knew to be justifiably enraged [with her husband]. Therefore the prophet, beginning his speech, harshly attacked Jeroboam and condemned with very severe words his violation of pacts and piety and his oblivion to all the benefits that he had received from the generous hand of God, so that [the prophet] finally predicted huge calamities, the destruction of the kingdom and the complete ruin of [Jeroboam’s] entire family.

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, long-suffering and plenteous in mercy.^[1] The Lord is sweet to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.^[2] You hear that his mercies are so great, and do you dare to put your trust in your own virtue? Let all your works, O Lord, confess to you.^[3] If people are also part of his works, then all people should confess their sins. We read it said in Samuel about Solomon: He shall build a house to my name, and I shall establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.^[4] And again: If he commits any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of people, but my mercy I will not take away from him.^[5] After giving thanks to God, David said in conclusion, And this is the law of humankind.^[6] Have recourse, O Lord, always to your mercy, and sustain the weakness of my flesh by your divine assistance. What have I to do, he says, with you also, you sons of Sarvia? Let Shimei curse. The Lord had bid him curse David. And who shall say to him, why have you done so?^[7] For the will of God is not to be discussed but kindly accepted. And in another place: The Lord commanded that the profitable counsel of Ahitophel be defeated that he might bring evil on Absalom,^[8] whose counsel was certainly the counsel of God. And for what reason was the power of the free will subverted by a greater power? Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin, is reproved for having neglected the commandment of the Lord, and it is said to him, I gave you the kingdom of the house of David, and you have not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing that which was well pleasing in my sight. Therefore, the commandments of God are possible, which we know David had kept; and yet, we find holy people growing weary in maintaining justice forever.

There is therefore no absurdity in the prophets [of the Jews] having uttered predictions even about events of no importance, to soothe those who desire such things, as when Samuel prophesies regarding three donkeys that were lost,^[1] or when mention is made in the third book of Kings respecting the sickness of a king’s son. And why should not those who desired to obtain auguries from idols be severely rebuked by the administrators of the law among the Jews, as Elijah is found rebuking Ahaziah and saying, Is it because there is not a God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron?^{[2] [3]} GOD IS ALWAYS MERCIFUL TOWARD SINNERS. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: [The Scripture] calls something pleasing the fact that [Jeroboam] sent his wife to the prophet of God and not to the impostors and diviners. We must constantly admire the mercy of God, who increases many times over every good [action] performed by mortals and then returns it to them. This is quite evident from what he did for that father of the error of the calves and protector of the iniquity of Baal, namely, Ahab.^[1] Because of his fast of one day, and the night in which he slept in sackcloth, punishment was averted from his house and his kingdom for three years in order to show [God’s] mercy and exhort sinners to repentance. ^[2]