1 Kings 13:2 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

He cried against the altar; and consequently, against all that worship, which is oft signified by the name of the altar. See Isaiah 19:19 1 Corinthians 9:13 Hebrews 7:13, Hebrews 13:10. O altar, altar; he directs his speech to the altar, partly because the following signs were wrought upon it, and partly to signify that Jeroboam would no more regard his words than the altar did, and yet they should take effect. A child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; which being done above three hundred years after this prophecy, plainly shows the absolute certainty of God's providence and foreknowledge, even in the most contingent things. For this was in itself uncertain, and wholly depended upon man's will, both as to the having of a child, and as to the giving it this name. Therefore God can certainly and effectually overrule man's will which way he pleaseth; or else it was possible that this prediction should have been false, which is blasphemous to imagine. Upon thee shall he offer the priests; synecdoehically, the bones of the priests, 2 Kings 23:15,16, whereby the altar should be defiled.