This large, signed panel by Dutch Italianate landscape artist, Nicolaes Berchem, illustrates the rare Old Test.mes nt subject of the disobedient prophet. Although there is no firm evidence that this prolific artist ever traveled to Italy, works such as the present panel, which displays a complete absorption of the light and atmosphere of the Roman campagna, leave little doubt that he traveled there. He likely made this journey in the early 1650s, which is the proposed period of execution for this painting. During this period, Berchem's style moves away from the tonality of the 1640s, inspired by his contemporaries Jan van Goyen and Pieter van Laer, and towards a more vibrantly colored compositions balanced with golden tones reminiscent of Jan Both. His figures also become more elegant, as visible in this beautiful composition. In this scene, Berchem has made a bold and conscious decision to have the brambles assume the center focal point, leaving the figures to be tucked into the left corner. This stylistic decision is unprecedented in his work and fascinating considering the detailed attention he gives to the vegetation and forestry.

Here, Berchem chose to depict the final scene in a story taken from 1 Kings 13:26:  "It is the man of God, who disobeyed the command of the Lord; therefore, the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him." This passage from Kings warns the faithful against prophecy, or more pointedly, against succumbings to false prophecy. The man of God departed from the original commandment given to him by God and was smote by a lion. The instrument of his punishment, the lion, is a symbol of the Kingdom of Judah, one of the two tribes that split from the original twelve.

This particular subject was treated by several other artists from the Italianate school. Paul Bril painted the subject on two occasions (now lost), one of which is known through an engraving. Bartholomeus Breenbergh also painted the subject, although this composition is now lost.