The Meaning of 1 Kings 13:33 Explained

1 Kings 13:33

KJV: After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

YLT: After this thing Jeroboam hath not turned from his evil way, and turneth back, and maketh of the extremities of the people priests of high places; he who is desirous he consecrateth his hand, and he is of the priests of the high places.

Darby: After this thing Jeroboam turned not from his evil way, but made again from all classes of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests of the high places.

ASV: After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again from among all the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he consecrated him, that there might be priests of the high places.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

After  this thing  Jeroboam  returned  not from his evil  way,  but made  again  of the lowest  of the people  priests  of the high places:  whosoever would,  he consecrated  him, and he became [one] of the priests  of the high places. 

What does 1 Kings 13:33 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 13:20-34 - Sign Upon Sign Unheeded
There is a tragic note in this paragraph. The man of God had performed God's errand bravely and well, and his words were verified by the result; but he perished as a castaway. See 1 Corinthians 9:27. If only he had obeyed God's word, as it came directly to himself, he might have been entrusted with many similar errands; but "Alas, my brother!" was a true elegy on the part of the man who had led to his downfall. How careful we should be never to dissuade a young soul from some heroic purpose which has formed itself in his imagination! Too many young men have perished on the threshold of their life-work, because older prophets have cried, "Spare thyself; have mercy on thy flesh."
God never goes back on His first instructions. If He has clearly spoken to your soul, refuse to take your marching-orders from others. No man, however aged or holy, has any right to intrude into the sacred dealings of God and the individual disciple. We may always detect the false voice, because its suggestions so exactly chime in with the weakness of our nature, in its desire to eat bread, drink water, and enjoy the society of our fellows.
1 Kings 13:1-34 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 13

1  Jeroboam's hand withers
6  and at the prayer of the prophet is restored
7  The prophet departs from Bethel
11  An old prophet brings him back
20  He is reproved by God
23  slain by a lion
26  buried by the old prophet
31  who confirms the prophecy
33  Jeroboam's obstinacy

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 13:33 mean?

after event this not did turn Jeroboam from his way evil but again and he made from every class of people priests for the high places whoever wished he consecrated - him and he became [one] of the priests of the high places
אַחַר֙ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה לֹֽא־ שָׁ֥ב יָרָבְעָ֖ם מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה וַ֠יָּשָׁב וַיַּ֜עַשׂ מִקְצ֤וֹת הָעָם֙ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י בָמ֔וֹת הֶֽחָפֵץ֙ יְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־ יָד֔וֹ וִיהִ֖י כֹּהֲנֵ֥י בָמֽוֹת

אַחַר֙  after 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הַדָּבָ֣ר  event 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
שָׁ֥ב  did  turn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יָרָבְעָ֖ם  Jeroboam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָרָבְעָם  
Sense: the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel when the kingdom split at the death of Solomon and the 0 tribes split off from Judah and Benjamin and the kingdom under Solomon’s son Rehoboam; idolatry was introduced at the beginning of his reign.
מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ  from  his  way 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
הָרָעָ֑ה  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וַ֠יָּשָׁב  but  again 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וַיַּ֜עַשׂ  and  he  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִקְצ֤וֹת  from  every  class 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: קָצָה 
Sense: end, extremity.
הָעָם֙  of  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כֹּהֲנֵ֣י  priests  for 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
בָמ֔וֹת  the  high  places 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).
הֶֽחָפֵץ֙  whoever  wished 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָפֵץ  
Sense: desiring, delighting in, having pleasure in.
יְמַלֵּ֣א  he  consecrated 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וִיהִ֖י  and  he  became 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כֹּהֲנֵ֥י  [one]  of  the  priests 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
בָמֽוֹת  of  the  high  places 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בָּמָה  
Sense: high place, ridge, height, bamah (technical name for cultic platform).