2 And it came to pass in the third H7992 year, H8141 that Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 came down H3381 to the king H4428 of Israel. H3478
Now Jehoshaphat H3092 had riches H6239 and honour H3519 in abundance, H7230 and joined affinity H2859 with Ahab. H256 And after H7093 certain years H8141 he went down H3381 to Ahab H256 to Samaria. H8111 And Ahab H256 killed H2076 sheep H6629 and oxen H1241 for him in abundance, H7230 and for the people H5971 that he had with him, and persuaded H5496 him to go up H5927 with him to Ramothgilead. H7433 H1568 And Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat H3092 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 Wilt thou go H3212 with me to Ramothgilead? H7433 H1568 And he answered H559 him, I am as thou art, and my people H5971 as thy people; H5971 and we will be with thee in the war. H4421 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 Therefore the king H4428 of Israel H3478 gathered together H6908 of prophets H5030 four H702 hundred H3967 men, H376 and said H559 unto them, Shall we go H3212 to Ramothgilead H7433 H1568 to battle, H4421 or shall I forbear? H2308 And they said, H559 Go up; H5927 for God H430 will deliver H5414 it into the king's H4428 hand. H3027 But Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Is there not here a prophet H5030 of the LORD H3068 besides, that we might enquire H1875 of him? And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 There is yet one H259 man, H376 by whom we may enquire H1875 of the LORD: H3068 but I hate H8130 him; for he never prophesied H5012 good H2896 unto me, but always H3117 evil: H7451 the same is Micaiah H4321 the son H1121 of Imla. H3229 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Let not the king H4428 say H559 so. And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 called H7121 for one H259 of his officers, H5631 and said, H559 Fetch quickly H4116 Micaiah H4319 the son H1121 of Imla. H3229 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 king H4428 of Judah H3063 sat H3427 either H376 of them on his throne, H3678 clothed H3847 in their robes, H899 and they sat H3427 in a void place H1637 at the entering in H6607 of the gate H8179 of Samaria; H8111 and all the prophets H5030 prophesied H5012 before H6440 them. And Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 had made H6213 him horns H7161 of iron, H1270 and said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 With these thou shalt push H5055 Syria H758 until they be consumed. H3615 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 hand H3027 of the king. H4428 And the messenger H4397 that went H1980 to call H7121 Micaiah H4321 spake H1696 to him, saying, H559 Behold, the words H1697 of the prophets H5030 declare good H2896 to the king H4428 with one H259 assent; H6310 let thy word H1697 therefore, I pray thee, be like one H259 of theirs, and speak H1696 thou good. H2896 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 even what my God H430 saith, H559 that will I speak. H1696 And when he was come H935 to the king, H4428 the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Micaiah, H4318 shall we go H3212 to Ramothgilead H7433 H1568 to battle, H4421 or shall I forbear? H2308 And he said, H559 Go ye up, H5927 and prosper, H6743 and they shall be delivered H5414 into your hand. H3027 And the king H4428 said H559 to him, How many times H6471 shall I adjure H7650 thee that thou say H1696 nothing but the truth H571 to me in the name H8034 of the LORD? H3068 Then he said, H559 I did see H7200 all Israel H3478 scattered H6327 upon the mountains, H2022 as sheep H6629 that have no shepherd: H7462 and the LORD H3068 said, H559 These have no master; H113 let them return H7725 therefore every man H376 to his house H1004 in peace. H7965 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 to Jehoshaphat, H3092 Did I not tell H559 thee that he would not prophesy H5012 good H2896 unto me, but evil? H7451 Again he said, H559 Therefore hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD; H3068 I saw H7200 the LORD H3068 sitting H3427 upon his throne, H3678 and all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 standing H5975 on his right hand H3225 and on his left. H8040 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Who shall entice H6601 Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that he may go up H5927 and fall H5307 at Ramothgilead? H7433 H1568 And one spake H559 saying H559 after this manner, H3602 and another saying H559 after that manner. H3602 Then there came out H3318 a spirit, H7307 and stood H5975 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 I will entice H6601 him. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Wherewith? And he said, H559 I will go out, H3318 and be a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all his prophets. H5030 And the LORD said, H559 Thou shalt entice H6601 him, and thou shalt also prevail: H3201 go out, H3318 and do H6213 even so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD H3068 hath put H5414 a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of these thy prophets, H5030 and the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 evil H7451 against thee. Then Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 came near, H5066 and smote H5221 Micaiah H4321 upon the cheek, H3895 and said, H559 Which H335 way H1870 went H5674 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 from me to speak H1696 unto thee? And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 Behold, thou shalt see H7200 on that day H3117 when thou shalt go H935 into an inner H2315 chamber H2315 to hide H2244 thyself. Then the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Take H3947 ye Micaiah, H4321 and carry him back H7725 to Amon H526 the governor H8269 of the city, H5892 and to Joash H3101 the king's H4428 son; H1121 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 return H7725 in peace. H7965 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 If thou certainly H7725 return H7725 in peace, H7965 then hath not the LORD H3068 spoken H1696 by me. And he said, H559 Hearken, H8085 all ye people. H5971
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].