The Prophet Who Named Josiah Before Jeroboam's Altar

Rabbi Yudan opened: "The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is worth little" (Proverbs 10:20). "The tongue of the just is as choice silver": this is what the prophet foretold. "The heart of the wicked is worth little": this is Jeroboam. This is what is written, "And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD... and he cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar" (1 Kings 13:1-2). And why "altar, altar" two times? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The altar that was in Bethel and the altar that was in Dan. What did he cry out against it? "Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he sacrifice the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee" (1 Kings 13:2). It is not written there "and the bones of Jeroboam shall be burned upon thee," but rather "and men's bones shall be burned upon thee" (1 Kings 13:2). This teaches that he showed honor to the monarchy, for it is written, "And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, that Jeroboam put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him" (1 Kings 13:4). Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Idi: The Omnipresent had more concern for the honor of the righteous man than for His own honor. He stood and offered to idolatry, yet his hand did not wither; but as soon as he stretched out his hand against the righteous man, his hand withered. This is what is written, "and his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up" (1 Kings 13:4). "And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Entreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me" (1 Kings 13:6). Two Amoraim differed. One said: "thy God" and not my God. And the other said: With what face does he call Him "thy God"? He stands and offers to idolatry, yet he calls Him "thy God"! Even so, "And the man of God besought the face of the LORD, and the king's hand was restored to him, and became as it was before" (1 Kings 13:6). What is the meaning of "as it was before"? Rabbi Berekhiah and Rabbi Yudah son of Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi: If you pound a fool in a mortar of sorcerers, you gain nothing from him. Just as at first he stood and offered to idolatry, so also a second time he stood and offered to idolatry. Another interpretation: "The tongue of the just is as choice silver" (Proverbs 10:20): this is the Holy One, blessed be He, who made choice of His speech to Moses and said, "When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel" (Exodus 30:12).