And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
The king said ... Come home with me, and refresh thyself. Jeroboam was artful, invited the prophet to the royal table, not to do him honour, or show his gratitude for the restoration of his hand, but to win, by his courtesy and liberal hospitality, a person whom he could not crush by his power. But the prophet informed him of a divine injunction, expressly prohibiting him from all social contact with any in the place, as well as from returning the same way. The prohibition not to eat or drink in Beth-el was because all the people had become apostates from the true religion; and had he done so, he could not have prophesied against the place, after having eaten with the people, without violating all the existing laws of hospitality (see the notes at Joshua 9:14). The reason of his not being allowed to return the same way was lest he should be recognized by any whom he had seen in going, and be detained by them to discuss the nature and results of his mission, or be ill-treated by any of the inhabitants for his denunciations against their altar.