1 Kings 20:36

Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion [Heb. the lion, perhaps the lion appointed already to this office, or one that had lately been seen in the neighbourhood] shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a [Heb. the ] lion found him [same word as in 1 Kings 13:24 , where see note], and slew him [For the same sin as that of "the man of God ( 1 Kings 13:21 , 1 Kings 13:26 ), viz; disobedience ( Deuteronomy 32:24 ; Jeremiah 5:6 ), and disobedience, too, under circumstances remarkably similar to those. In fact, the two histories run on almost parallel lines. In each case it is a prophet who disobeys, and disobeys the "word of the Lord;" in each case the disobedience appears almost excusable; in each case the prophet appears to be hardly dealt with, and suffers instant punishment, whilst the king escapes; in each case the punishment is foretold by a prophet; in each case it is effected by the instrumentality of a lion. And in each case the lesson is the same—that God's commands must be kept, whatever the cost, or that stern retribution will inevitably follow.]