The Word of God dominates this chapter: sent by the Lord from Judah through an anonymous prophet, it is stronger than the stone altar and the king’s arm; it serves as both proclamation and command. The prophecy spans from here to its fulfillment in 2 Kings 23:15-19. The narrator continues with another episode that is closely linked to the previous one, yet it remains enigmatic (10). Why is there so much interest in misleading the Prophet, who came from the south? Did the prophet of the North want to test the fidelity of the prophet of the South? Did he seek to verify the validity of his oracle? The latter seems most likely, given the story’s outcome. If the prophet continued on his way, his obedience to God authenticated his mission; if he disobeyed and went unpunished, his mission was doubtful; if he disobeyed and was punished, his mission was authentic. This account also explains the origin of the tomb with two anonymous prophets in Bethel (cf. 2 Kgs 23).