11. There was an old prophet who lived in Bethel. His sons came and told him the story of what the holy man had done that day in Bethel, told him everything that had happened and what the holy man had said to the king.
12. Their father said, “Which way did he go?” His sons pointed out the road that the holy man from Judah had taken.
13-14. He told his sons, “Saddle my donkey.” When they had saddled it, he got on and rode after the holy man. He found him sitting under an oak tree.He asked him, “Are you the holy man who came from Judah?”“Yes, I am,” he said.
15. “Well, come home with me and have a meal.”
16-17. “Sorry, I can’t do that,” the holy man said. “I can neither go back with you nor eat with you in this country. I’m under strict orders from God: ‘Don’t eat a crumb; don’t drink a drop; and don’t come back the way you came.’”