1-2. One day, Jeroboam was standing at the altar in Bethel, ready to make an offering. Suddenly one of God's prophets arrived from Judah and shouted:The Lord sent me with a message about this altar. A child named Josiah will be born into David's family. He will sacrifice on this altar the priests who make offerings here, and human bones will be burnt on it.
3. You will know that the Lord has said these things when the altar splits in half, and the ashes on it fall to the ground.
4. Jeroboam pointed at the prophet and shouted, “Grab him!” But straight away, Jeroboam's hand became stiff, and he could not move it.
5. The altar split in half, and the ashes fell to the ground, just as the prophet had warned.
6. “Please pray to the Lord your God and ask him to heal my hand,” Jeroboam begged.The prophet prayed, and Jeroboam's hand was healed.
7. “Come home with me and eat something,” Jeroboam said. “I want to give you a gift for what you have done.”
8. “No, I wouldn't go with you, even if you offered me half of your kingdom. I won't eat or drink here either.
9. The Lord said I can't eat or drink anything and that I can't go home the same way I came.”
10. Then he started home down a different road.
11. At that time an old prophet lived in Bethel, and one of his sons told him what the prophet from Judah had said and done.
12. “Show me which way he went,” the old prophet said, and his sons pointed out the road.