² He cursed^[a] the altar in this^[b] message from the Lord: “Hey altar! Hey altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘Pay attention to this! A son is going to be born in David’s dynasty. His name will be Josiah. He will sacrifice the priests who burn incense on you in these high places. Human bones will be burned on you!’”^[c]

³ Later that same day, he gave them a special display of power^[d] of what was to come when he said, “Here’s proof^[e] that the Lord has decreed this:^[f] Look! This altar will be split apart and the ashes that are on it will spill out.”

⁴ When he heard the man of God curse^[g] the altar in Bethel, the king pointed at the man of God from where the king was standing at the altar. “Seize him!” he ordered. But all of a sudden his hand that he had stretched out dried up, and he could not bring it back to his side!