24. who rode off. On the way, a lion met him and killed him. His body lay on the road, and the donkey and the lion stood beside it.
25. Some men passed by and saw the body on the road, with the lion standing near by. They went on into Bethel and reported what they had seen.
26. When the old prophet heard about it, he said, “That is the prophet who disobeyed the Lord's command! And so the Lord sent the lion to attack and kill him, just as the Lord said he would.”
27. Then he said to his sons, “Saddle my donkey for me.” They did so,
28. and he rode off and found the prophet's body lying on the road, with the donkey and the lion still standing by it. The lion had not eaten the body or attacked the donkey.
29. The old prophet picked up the body, put it on the donkey, and brought it back to Bethel to mourn over it and bury it.
30. He buried it in his own family grave, and he and his sons mourned over it, saying, “Oh my brother, my brother!”
31. After the burial, the prophet said to his sons, “When I die, bury me in this grave and lay my body next to his.
32. The words that he spoke at the Lord's command against the altar in Bethel and against all the places of worship in the towns of Samaria will surely come true.”
33. King Jeroboam of Israel still did not turn from his evil ways, but continued to choose priests from ordinary families to serve at the altars he had built. He ordained as priest anyone who wanted to be one.
34. This sin on his part brought about the ruin and total destruction of his dynasty.