3 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Know H3045 ye that Ramoth H7433 in Gilead H1568 is ours, and we be still, H2814 and take H3947 it not out of the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Syria? H758
4 And he said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 Wilt thou go H3212 with me to battle H4421 to Ramothgilead? H7433 H1568 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said H559 to the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 I am as thou H3644 art, my people H5971 as thy people, H5971 my horses H5483 as thy horses. H5483
5 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said H559 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 Enquire, H1875 I pray thee, at the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 to day. H3117
6 Then the king H4428 of Israel H3478 gathered H6908 the prophets H5030 together, H6908 about four H702 hundred H3967 men, H376 and said H559 unto them, Shall I go H3212 against Ramothgilead H7433 H1568 to battle, H4421 or shall I forbear? H2308 And they said, H559 Go up; H5927 for the Lord H136 shall deliver H5414 it into the hand H3027 of the king. H4428
7 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Is there not here a prophet H5030 of the LORD H3068 besides, H5750 that we might enquire H1875 of him?
8 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 There is yet one H259 man, H376 Micaiah H4321 the son H1121 of Imlah, H3229 by whom we may enquire H1875 of the LORD: H3068 but I hate H8130 him; for he doth not prophesy H5012 good H2896 concerning me, but evil. H7451 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Let not the king H4428 say H559 so.
9 Then the king H4428 of Israel H3478 called H7121 an H259 officer, H5631 and said, H559 Hasten H4116 hither Micaiah H4321 the son H1121 of Imlah. H3229
10 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 sat H3427 each H376 on his throne, H3678 having put on H3847 their robes, H899 in a void place H1637 in the entrance H6607 of the gate H8179 of Samaria; H8111 and all the prophets H5030 prophesied H5012 before H6440 them.
11 And Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 made H6213 him horns H7161 of iron: H1270 and he said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 With these shalt thou push H5055 the Syrians, H758 until thou have consumed H3615 them.
12 And all the prophets H5030 prophesied H5012 so, saying, H559 Go up H5927 to Ramothgilead, H7433 H1568 and prosper: H6743 for the LORD H3068 shall deliver H5414 it into the king's H4428 hand. H3027
13 And the messenger H4397 that was gone H1980 to call H7121 Micaiah H4321 spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Behold now, the words H1697 of the prophets H5030 declare good H2896 unto the king H4428 with one H259 mouth: H6310 let thy word, H1697 I pray thee, be like the word H1697 of one H259 of them, and speak H1696 that which is good. H2896
14 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 what the LORD H3068 saith H559 unto me, that will I speak. H1696
15 So he came H935 to the king. H4428 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Micaiah, H4321 shall we go H3212 against Ramothgilead H7433 H1568 to battle, H4421 or shall we forbear? H2308 And he answered H559 him, Go, H5927 and prosper: H6743 for the LORD H3068 shall deliver H5414 it into the hand H3027 of the king. H4428
16 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, How many times H6471 shall I adjure H7650 thee that thou tell H1696 me nothing but that which is true H571 in the name H8034 of the LORD? H3068
17 And he said, H559 I saw H7200 all Israel H3478 scattered H6327 upon the hills, H2022 as sheep H6629 that have not a shepherd: H7462 and the LORD H3068 said, H559 These have no master: H113 let them return H7725 every man H376 to his house H1004 in peace. H7965
18 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 Did I not tell H559 thee that he would prophesy H5012 no good H2896 concerning me, but evil? H7451
19 And he said, H559 Hear H8085 thou therefore the word H1697 of the LORD: H3068 I saw H7200 the LORD H3068 sitting H3427 on his throne, H3678 and all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 standing H5975 by him on his right hand H3225 and on his left. H8040
20 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Who shall persuade H6601 Ahab, H256 that he may go up H5927 and fall H5307 at Ramothgilead? H7433 H1568 And one said H559 on this manner, H3541 and another said H559 on that manner. H3541
21 And there came forth H3318 a spirit, H7307 and stood H5975 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 I will persuade H6601 him.
22 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Wherewith? And he said, H559 I will go forth, H3318 and I will be a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all his prophets. H5030 And he said, H559 Thou shalt persuade H6601 him, and prevail H3201 also: go forth, H3318 and do H6213 so.
23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD H3068 hath put H5414 a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all these thy prophets, H5030 and the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 evil H7451 concerning thee.
24 But Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 went near, H5066 and smote H5221 Micaiah H4321 on the cheek, H3895 and said, H559 Which way H335 went H5674 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 from me to speak H1696 unto thee?
25 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 Behold, thou shalt see H7200 in that day, H3117 when thou shalt go H935 into an inner H2315 chamber H2315 to hide H2247 thyself.
26 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Take H3947 Micaiah, H4321 and carry him back H7725 unto Amon H526 the governor H8269 of the city, H5892 and to Joash H3101 the king's H4428 son; H1121
27 And say, H559 Thus saith H559 the king, H4428 Put H7760 this fellow in the prison, H1004 H3608 and feed H398 him with bread H3899 of affliction H3906 and with water H4325 of affliction, H3906 until I come H935 in peace. H7965
28 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 If thou return H7725 at all H7725 in peace, H7965 the LORD H3068 hath not spoken H1696 by me. And he said, H559 Hearken, H8085 O people, H5971 every one of you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 22
Commentary on 1 Kings 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
1Ki 22:1-36. Ahab Slain at Ramoth-gilead.
1. continued three years without war between Syria and Israel—The disastrous defeat of Ben-hadad had so destroyed his army and exhausted the resources of his country, that, however eager, he was unable to recommence active hostilities against Israel. But that his hereditary enmity remained unsubdued, was manifest by his breach of faith concerning the treaty by which he had engaged to restore all the cities which his father had seized (1Ki 20:34).
2. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel—It was singular that a friendly league between the sovereigns of Israel and Judah should, for the first time, have been formed by princes of such opposite characters—the one pious, the other wicked. Neither this league nor the matrimonial alliance by which the union of the royal families was more closely cemented, met the Lord's approval (2Ch 19:2). It led, however, to a visit by Jehoshaphat, whose reception in Samaria was distinguished by the most lavish hospitality (2Ch 18:2). The opportunity of this visit was taken advantage of, to push an object on which Ahab's heart was much set.
3-8. Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours—a Levitical and free town on the north border of Gad (De 4:43; Jos 21:38), on the site of the present Salt Lake, in the province of Belka. It lay within the territories of the Israelitish monarch, and was unjustly alienated; but whether it was one of the cities usurped by the first Ben-hadad, which his son had promised to restore, or was retained for some other reasons, the sacred historian has not mentioned. In the expedition which Ahab meditated for the recovery of this town, the aid of Jehoshaphat was asked and promised (see 2Ch 18:3). Previous to declaring hostilities, it was customary to consult the prophets (see on 1Sa 28:8); and Jehoshaphat having expressed a strong desire to know the Lord's will concerning this war, Ahab assembled four hundred of his prophets. These could not be either the prophets of Baal or of Ashteroth (1Ki 18:19), but seem (1Ki 22:12) to have been false prophets, who conformed to the symbolic calf-worship of Jehovah. Being the creatures of Ahab, they unanimously predicted a prosperous issue to the war. But dissatisfied with them, Jehoshaphat inquired if there was any true prophet of the Lord. Ahab agreed, with great reluctance, to allow Micaiah to be summoned. He was the only true prophet then to be found residing in Samaria, and he had to be brought out of prison (1Ki 22:26), into which, according to Josephus, he had been cast on account of his rebuke to Ahab for sparing the king of Syria.
10. a void place—literally, "a threshing-floor," formed at the gate of Samaria.
11. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron—Small projections, of the size and form of our candle extinguishers (worn in many parts of the East as military ornaments), were worn by the Syrians of that time, and probably by the Israelite warriors also. Zedekiah, by assuming two horns, personated two heroes, and, pretending to be a prophet, wished in this manner to represent the kings of Israel and Judah in a military triumph. It was a symbolic action, to impart greater force to his language (see De 33:17); but it was little more than a flourish with a spontoon [Calmet, Fragments].
14-17. what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak—On the way the messenger who conducted [Micaiah] to the royal presence informed him of the tenor of the prophecies already given and recommended him to agree with the rest, no doubt from the kindly motive of seeing him released from imprisonment. But Micaiah, inflexibly faithful to his divine mission as a prophet, announced his purpose to proclaim honestly whatever God should bid him. On being asked by the king, "Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I forbear?" the prophet gave precisely the same answer as the previous oracles that had been consulted; but it must have been given in a sarcastic tone and in ironical mockery of their way of speaking. Being solemnly urged to give a serious and truthful answer, Micaiah then declared the visionary scene the Spirit had revealed to him;—
17. I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd—The purport of this was that the army of Israel would be defeated and dispersed; that Ahab would fall in the battle, and the people return without either being pursued or destroyed by the enemy.
18-23. Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?—Since Ahab was disposed to trace this unwelcome truth to personal enmity, Micaiah proceeded fearlessly to tell the incensed monarch in full detail what had been revealed to him. The Hebrew prophets, borrowing their symbolic pictures from earthly scenes, described God in heaven as a king in His kingdom. And as earthly princes do nothing of importance without asking the advice of their counsellors, God is represented as consulting about the fate of Ahab. This prophetic language must not be interpreted literally, and the command must be viewed as only a permission to the lying spirit (Ro 11:34) [Calmet].
24, 25. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek—The insolence of this man, the leader of the false prophets, seems to have been provoked by jealousy at Micaiah's assumed monopoly of the spirit of inspiration. This mode of smiting, usually with a shoe, is both severe and ignominious. The calm reply of the Lord's prophet consisted in announcing the fate of the false prophets who suffered as the advisers of the disastrous expedition.
26-28. Take Micaiah, … Put this fellow in prison—Ahab, under the impulse of vehement resentment, remands the prophet until his return.
27, 28. bread of affliction, water of affliction—that is, the poorest prison fare. Micaiah submitted, but reiterated aloud, in the presence of all, that the issue of the war would be fatal to Ahab.
29-38. went up to Ramoth-gilead—The king of Israel, bent on this expedition, marched, accompanied by his ally, with all his forces to the siege; but on approaching the scene of action, his courage failed, and, hoping to evade the force of Micaiah's prophecy by a secret stratagem, he assumed the uniform of a subaltern, while he advised Jehoshaphat to fight in his royal attire. The Syrian king, with a view either to put the speediest end to the war, or perhaps to wipe out the stain of his own humiliation (1Ki 20:31), had given special instructions to his generals to single out Ahab, and to take or kill him, as the author of the war. The officers at first directed their assault on Jehoshaphat, but, becoming aware of their mistake, desisted. Ahab was wounded by a random arrow, which, being probably poisoned, and the state of the weather increasing the virulence of the poison, he died at sunset. The corpse was conveyed to Samaria; and, as the chariot which brought it was being washed, in a pool near the city, from the blood that had profusely oozed from the wound, the dogs, in conformity with Elijah's prophecy, came and licked it [1Ki 21:19]. Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah [1Ki 22:40].