1 Now Jehoshaphat H3092 had riches H6239 and honour H3519 in abundance, H7230 and joined affinity H2859 with Ahab. H256
2 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
3 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
4 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
5 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
6 But Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Is there not here a prophet H5030 of the LORD H3068 besides, that we might enquire H1875 of him?
7 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.
8 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
9 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.
10 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
11 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
12 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
13 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 even what my God H430 saith, H559 that will I speak. H1696
14 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
15 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
16 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
17 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
18 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
19 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
20 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?
21 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.
22 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.
23 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?
24 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.
25 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
26 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
27 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
28 So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 went up H5927 to Ramothgilead. H7433 H1568
29 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 I will disguise H2664 myself, and will go H935 to the battle; H4421 but put H3847 thou on thy robes. H899 So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 disguised H2664 himself; and they went H935 to the battle. H4421
30 Now the king H4428 of Syria H758 had commanded H6680 the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 that were with him, saying, H559 Fight H3898 ye not with small H6996 or great, H1419 save only with the king H4428 of Israel. H3478
31 And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 saw H7200 Jehoshaphat, H3092 that they said, H559 It is the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 Therefore they compassed about H5437 him to fight: H3898 but Jehoshaphat H3092 cried out, H2199 and the LORD H3068 helped H5826 him; and God H430 moved H5496 them to depart from him.
32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 perceived H7200 that it was not the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 they turned back again H7725 from pursuing H310 him.
33 And a certain man drew H4900 a bow H7198 at a venture, H8537 and smote H5221 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 between the joints H1694 of the harness: H8302 therefore he said H559 to his chariot H7395 man, H376 Turn H2015 thine hand, H3027 that thou mayest carry me out H3318 of the host; H4264 for I am wounded. H2470
34 And the battle H4421 increased H5927 that day: H3117 howbeit the king H4428 of Israel H3478 stayed himself up H5975 in his chariot H4818 against H5227 the Syrians H758 until the even: H6153 and about the time H6256 of the sun H8121 going down H935 he died. H4191
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 18
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 18 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Jehoshaphat's marriage alliance with Ahab, and his campaign with Ahab against the Syrians at Ramoth in Gilead . - 2 Chronicles 18:1. Jehoshaphat came into connection by marriage with Ahab through his son Joram taking Athaliah, a daughter of Ahab, to wife (2 Chronicles 21:6); an event which did not take place on the visit made by Jehoshaphat to Ahab in his palace at Samaria, and recorded in 2 Chronicles 18:2, but which had preceded that by about nine years. That visit falls in the beginning of the year in which Ahab was mortally wounded at Ramoth, and died, i.e., the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat's reign. But at that time Ahaziah, the son of Joram and Athaliah, was already from eight to nine years old, since thirteen years later he became king at the age of twenty-two; 2 Kings 8:26, cf. with the chronol. table to 1 Kings 12. The marriage connection is mentioned in order to account for Jehoshaphat's visit to Samaria (2 Chronicles 18:2), and his alliance with Ahab in the war against the Syrians; but it is also introduced by a reference to Jehoshaphat's riches and his royal splendour, repeated from 2 Chronicles 17:5. In the opinion of many commentators, this is stated to account for Ahab's willingness to connect his family by marriage with that of Jehoshaphat. This opinion might be tenable were it Ahab's entering upon a marriage connection with Jehoshaphat which is spoken of; but for Jehoshaphat, of whom it is related that he entered into a marriage connection with Ahab, his own great wealth could not be a motive for his action in that matter. If we consider, first, that this marriage connection was very hurtful to the kingdom of Judah and the royal house of David, since Athaliah not only introduced the Phoenician idolatry into the kingdom, but also at the death of Ahaziah extirpated all the royal seed of the house of David, only the infant Joash of all the royal children being saved by the princess, a sister of Ahaziah, who was married to the high priest Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 22:10-12); and, second, that Jehoshaphat was sharply censured by the prophet for his alliance with the criminal Ahab (2 Chronicles 19:2.), and had, moreover, all but forfeited his life in the war (2 Chronicles 18:34.), - we see that the author of the Chronicle can only have regarded the marriage connection between Jehoshaphat and Ahab as a mistake. By introducing this account of it by a second reference to Jehoshaphat's riches and power, he must therefore have intended to hint that Jehoshaphat had no need to enter into this relationship with the idolatrous house of Ahab, but had acted very inconsiderately in doing so. Schmidt has correctly stated the contents of the verse thus: Josaphatus cetera dives et gloriosus infelicem adfinitatem cum Achabo, rege Israelis, contrahit . With which side the proposals for thus connecting the two royal houses originated we are not anywhere informed. Even if the conjecture of Ramb., that Ahab proposed it to Jehoshaphat, be not well founded, yet so much is beyond doubt, namely, that Ahab not only desired the alliance, but also promoted it by every means in his power, since it must have been of great importance to him to gain in Jehoshaphat a strong ally against the hostile pressure of the Syrians. Jehoshaphat probably entered upon the alliance bono animo et spe firmandae inter duo regna pacis (Ramb.), without much thought of the dangers which a connection of this sort with the idolatrous Ahab and with Jezebel might bring upon his kingdom.
The campaign undertaken along with Ahab against the Syrians at Ramoth in Gilead, with its origin, course, and results for Ahab, is narrated in 1 Kings (in the history of Ahab) in agreement with our narrative, only the introduction to the war being different here. In 1 Kings 22:1-3 it is remarked, in connection with the preceding wars of Ahab with the Syrians, that after there had been no war for three years between Aram and Israel, in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah came up to the king of Israel; and the latter, when he and his servants had determined to snatch away from the Syrians the city Ramoth in Gilead, which belonged to Israel, called upon Jehoshaphat to march with him to the war against Ramoth. In the Chronicle the more exact statement, “in the third year,” which is intelligible only in connection with the earlier history of Ahab, is exchanged for the indefinite שׁנים לקץ , “at the end of years;” and mention is made of the festal entertainment which Ahab bestowed upon his guest and his train ( עמּו אשׁר העם ), to show the pains which Ahab took to induce King Jehoshaphat to take part in the proposed campaign. He killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, ויסיתהוּ ,ecnadn , and enticed, seduced him to go up with him to Ramoth. הסית , to incite, entice to anything (Judges 1:14), frequently to evil; cf. Deuteronomy 13:7, etc. עלה , to advance upon a land or a city in a warlike sense. The account which follows of the preparations for the campaign by inquiring of prophets, and of the war itself, vv. 4-34, is in almost verbal agreement with 1 Kings 22:5-35. Referring to 1 Kings for the commentary on the substance of the narrative, we will here only group together briefly the divergences. Instead of 400 men who were prophets, 2 Chronicles 18:5, in 1 Kings 22:5 we have about 400 men. It is a statement in round numbers, founded not upon exact enumeration, but upon an approximate estimate. Instead of אהדּל אם ... הנלך , 2 Chronicles 18:5, in Kings, 1 Kings 22:6, we have אהדּל אם ... האלך , both verbs being in the same number; and so too in 2 Chronicles 18:14, where in Kings. 1 Kings 22:15, both verbs stand in the plural, notwithstanding that the answer which follows, והצלח עלה , is addressed to Ahab alone, not to both the kings, while in the Chronicle the answer is given in the plural to both the kings, והצליחוּ עלוּ . in 2 Chronicles 18:7 , “he prophesies me nothing good, but all his days (i.e., so long as he has been a prophet) evil,” the meaning is intensified by the כּל־ימיו , which is not found in 1 Kings 22:8. In 2 Chronicles 18:9, the ויושׁבים , which is introduced before the בּגרן , “and sitting upon the threshing-floor,” is due to difference of style, for it is quite superfluous for the signification. In 2 Chronicles 18:15, the ambiguous words of Micah,' and Jahve will give into the hand of the king” (1 Kings 22:15), are given in a more definite form: “and they (the enemy) shall be given into your hand.” In 2 Chronicles 18:19, in the first כּכה אמר זה , the אמר after the preceding ויּאמר is not only superfluous, but improper, and has probably come into the text by a copyist's error. We should therefore read only בּכה זה , corresponding to the כּכה זה of 1 Kings 22:20 : “Then spake one after this manner, and the other spake after another manner.” In 2 Chronicles 18:23, the indefinite אי־זה of 1 Kings 22:24, is elucidated by הדּרך זה אי , “is that the manner” (cf. 1 Kings 13:12; 2 Kings 3:8)., and the verb . עבר follows without the relative pronoun, as in the passages cited. In 2 Chronicles 18:30, only הרכב שׂרי of the king are mentioned, without any statement of the number, which is given in 1 Kings 22:31, with a backward reference to the former war (1 Kings 20:24). In 2 Chronicles 18:31, after the words, “and Jehoshaphat cried out,” the higher cause of Jehoshaphat's rescue is pointed out in the words, “and Jahve helped him, and God drove them from him,” which are not found in 1 Kings 22:32; but by this religious reflection the actual course of the event is in no way altered. Bertheau's remark, therefore, that “the words disturb the clear connection of the events,” is quite unwarrantable. Finally, in 2 Chronicles 18:34, מעמיד היה , he was holding his position, i.e., he held himself standing upright, the Hiph. is more expressive than the Hoph. מעמד (1 Kings 22:35), since it expresses more definitely the fact that he held himself upright by his own strength. With Ahab's death, which took place in the evening at the time of the going down of the sun, the author of the Chronicle concludes his account of this war, and proceeds in 2 Chronicles 19:1-11 to narrate the further course of Jehoshaphat's reign. In 1 Kings 22:36-39, the return of the defeated army, and the details as to Ahab's death and burial, are recorded; but these did not fit into the plan of the Chronicle.