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1 Kings Chapter
Twenty-two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 22
This
chapter relates, that after three years' peace with the king of Syria, Ahab was
inclined to go to war with him, to take Ramothgilead out of his hands; and he
drew in Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to join him in it, 1 Kings 22:1, but
before they went into it, they took advice, Ahab of his four hundred prophets,
which Jehoshaphat not being satisfied with, a true prophet of the Lord,
Micahah, was sent for, 1 Kings 22:5 who,
when he came, jeered Ahab with what his prophets had said to him; intimated
that he should be killed, and explained it to him how he came to be deceived by
his prophets, 1 Kings 22:15 upon
which he was smitten on the cheek by Zedekiah, one of the false prophets, and
imprisoned by the order of Ahab, 1 Kings 22:24,
after which the two kings went to the battle, and Jehoshaphat was in great
danger of his life; but Ahab was wounded, and died, 1 Kings 22:29, and
the chapter is concluded with an account of the reign of Jehoshaphat king of
Judah, 1 Kings 22:41, and
of Ahaziah king of Israel, 1 Kings 22:51.
1 Kings 22:1 Now
three years passed without war between Syria and Israel.
YLT
1And they sit still three
years, there is no war between Aram and Israel,
And they continued three years without war between Syria and
Israel. From the time that Benhadad made a covenant with Ahab; not three
full years, but part of them: it was threatened by Elijah from the Lord, that
Ahab's life should go for Benhadad's, because he had let him, go, 1 Kings 22:42, but
because of his humiliation, as is thought by Ben Gersom and others, it was
respited for those three years; and now an opportunity and occasion would be
given for the fulfilment of what was threatened.
1 Kings 22:2 2 Then it came to pass, in
the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit
the king of Israel.
YLT
2and it cometh to pass in
the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah cometh down unto the king of
Israel,
And it came to pass in the third year,.... Of the
peace, before it was expired:
that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel; to Ahab, from
Jerusalem to Samaria, reckoned thirty two milesF13Bunting's Travels,
&c. p. 178. near 40, Rainold. Praelect. 31. col. 266. ; either to make
peace with him, and put an end to the wars which subsisted between Israel and
Judah since the division of the kingdom, 1 Kings 22:44 or to
contract an affinity with him, by marrying his son to a daughter of Ahab, 2 Kings 8:18 or
rather after peace was made, and that strengthened by the marriage; and so he
went merely to pay a visit, as he judged he might then with great safety; and
he and all his retinue were entertained by Ahab in a very sumptuous and liberal
manner, 2 Chronicles 18:1.
1 Kings 22:3 3 And the king of Israel
said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we
hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”
YLT
3and the king of Israel
saith unto his servants, `Have ye not known that ours [is] Ramoth-Gilead? and
we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram!'
(And the king of
Israel said unto his servants,.... His nobles, those of his privy council,
his ministers of state; or "had said"F14ויאמר "et dixerat", Junius & Tremellius. ,
some little time before Jehoshaphat came:
know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours a city of
refuge beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad, and so of course must belong to the
kingdom of Israel, of which see Joshua 20:8.
and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of
Syria?) neither demand it, nor take any measures to oblige him to deliver
it up; representing it as a great omission, and as a piece of negligence and
slothfulness, or cowardice.
1 Kings 22:4 4 So he said to Jehoshaphat,
“Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king
of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses
as your horses.”
YLT
4And he saith unto
Jehoshaphat, `Dost thou go with me to battle [to] Ramoth-Gilead?' and
Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `As I am, so thou; as my people, so
thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.'
This
affair being lately canvassed at the council board, and very much on Ahab's
mind, he puts this question to Jehoshaphat, his visitor, relation, and ally;
wisely considering that his own forces were small, and that to have such an
auxiliary might be of great advantage to him:
and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my
people as thy people, my horses as thy horses; meaning, that he and his
soldiers, foot and horse, were at his service.
1 Kings 22:5 5 Also Jehoshaphat said to
the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”
YLT
5And Jehoshaphat saith unto
the king of Israel, `Seek, I pray thee, to-day, the word of Jehovah;'
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, inquire, I pray
thee, at the word of the Lord today. Being a pious and
religious prince, he did not choose to go into a war at once, without
consulting the Lord by his prophets, whether it was his will and pleasure they
should engage in it, and should prosper; and he was desirous of having this
done immediately, before they proceeded any further.
1 Kings 22:6 6 Then the king of Israel
gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them,
“Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?” So they said,
“Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
YLT
6and the king of Israel
gathereth the prophets, about four hundred men, and saith unto them, `Do I go
against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' and they say, `Go up, and
the Lord doth give [it] into the hand of the king.'
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four
hundred men,.... False prophets, as the Targum and Arabic version; and they
are called Ahab's prophets, and not the Lord's, 1 Kings 22:23
perhaps these were the prophets of the groves, that ate at Jezebel's table, and
were preserved when the prophets of Baal were destroyed, since the number
agrees with them, see 1 Kings 18:19.
and said unto them, shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or
shall I forbear? which would you advise to? signifying he should take their
advice:
and they said, go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand
of the king: which words are very ambiguous, like the oracles of the
Heathens; for they do not express who or what should be delivered up, for the
word it is a supplement, nor to what king the delivery should be made; whether
the Syrians, and the place they held should be given up to king Ahab, which
they would have understood; or whether the Israelites should be delivered up to
king Benhadad; so that, whichever had been the case, the credit of their
prophecy would be secured. They used the word "Lord", and not Baal,
in complaisance to Jehoshaphat, and perhaps as directed by Ahab.
1 Kings 22:7 7 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is
there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire
of Him?”[a]
YLT
7And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is
there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, and we seek by him?'
And Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet of the Lord
besides, that we might inquire of him? He suspected these to be
false prophets, though he would not call them so; nor suggest that they were
not the prophets of the Lord, because he would not affront Ahab, who had an
opinion of them; and therefore asks, if there were no other that went under the
character of a prophet of the Lord, that he might inquire of him for his
further satisfaction.
1 Kings 22:8 8 So the king of Israel said
to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by
whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because
he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let
not the king say such things!”
YLT
8And the king of Israel
saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Yet -- one man to seek Jehovah by him, and I have
hated him, for he doth not prophesy concerning me good, but evil -- Micaiah son
of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, `Let not the king say so.'
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man
(Micaiah the son of Imlah), by whom we may inquire of the Lord,.... And but
one in Samaria; Elijah and Elisha were elsewhere:
but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy of good concerning me,
but evil; who is thought to be the same that was several times with him
when engaged in the war with the king of Syria, 1 Kings 20:13 and
each time, excepting the last, he brought him good tidings; but because, in his
last message, he told him, that, since he had let Benhadad go, his life should
go for his life, and his people for his people, for that he hated him:
and Jehoshaphat said, let not the king say so; which was
very modestly, though perhaps too gently, said; suggesting that the prophets of
the Lord should be heard, respected, and honoured, let their message be as it
would, since they spake not of their own mind and will, but what they were
moved unto by the Spirit of God.
1 Kings 22:9 9 Then the king of Israel
called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”
YLT
9And the king of Israel
calleth unto a certain eunuch, and saith, `Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.'
Then the king of Israel called an officer,.... An
eunuch, as the word is sometimes used, one of pages:
and said, hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah; who, as it
seems from 1 Kings 22:26 was
in prison, where perhaps Ahab had cast him for his last prophecy to him, and
where he had lain ever since; and this gives a reason why he could so readily
send for him, knowing where he was.
1 Kings 22:10 10 The king of Israel and
Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on
his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and
all the prophets prophesied before them.
YLT
10And the king of Israel and
Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with
garments, in a threshing-floor, at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all
the prophets are prophesying before them.
And the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, sat
each on his throne,.... In great state and majesty:
having put on their robes; their royal robes, which
they wore when they appeared in pomp and grandeur:
in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; where courts
of judicature were held, and there was an open void space for the people to
assemble in to hear; the word has the signification of a corn floor, and the
Jews suppose they and their attendants sat in a semicircle like the half of a
corn floor, after the same manner in which they say the sanhedrim at Jerusalem
satF15T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 5. 1. Vid. Kimchium in loc. :
and all the prophets prophesied before them; concerning
this affair of going to Ramothgilead.
1 Kings 22:11 11 Now Zedekiah the son of
Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these
you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’”
YLT
11And Zedekiah son of
Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By
these thou dost push the Aramaeans till they are consumed;'
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron,.... Horns are
emblems of power and might, and iron ones of greater strength still; the
prophets sometimes made use of visible signs, to represent the things they
prophesied of should come to pass, see Isaiah 20:2, and
the same method this prophet took:
and he saith, thus saith the Lord; imitating the true prophets:
with these shall thou push the Syrians until thou hast consumed them: Abarbinel
thinks he had in view the blessing of Joseph by Moses, Deuteronomy 33:17
where he is compared to a bullock with horns; and these said to be the ten
thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh; and Ahab being of the
tribe of Joseph, and ruling in Ephraim and Manasseh, the prophet chose to make
use of this emblem for his encouragement.
1 Kings 22:12 12 And all the prophets
prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it
into the king’s hand.”
YLT
12and all the prophets are
prophesying so, saying, `Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper, and Jehovah hath
given [it] into the hand of the king.'
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, go up to Ramothgilead,
and prosper,.... All encouraged the king to go up against this place, and
prophesied of victory, as Zedekiah did:
for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand; see Gill on 1 Kings 22:6.
1 Kings 22:13 13 Then the messenger who had
gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the
prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the
word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”
YLT
13And the messenger who hath
gone to call Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, `Lo, I pray thee, the words
of the prophets, with one mouth, [are] good towards the king; let it be, I pray
thee, thy word as the word of one of them -- and thou hast spoken good.'
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him,.... By the
way, as they came along together, as JosephusF16Antiqu. l. 8. c. 15.
sect. 4. observes:
behold, now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king
with one mouth; they are unanimous that he shall prosper in his undertaking
against the Syrians:
let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and
speak that which is good; which, as an ignorant man, he might advise to from good will to
the prophet, that he might not be branded with singularity, and a spirit of
contradiction, and that he might have the favour of the king, and be released
from prison, pitying his miserable condition in which he found him.
1 Kings 22:14 14 And Micaiah said, “As
the Lord
lives, whatever the Lord
says to me, that I will speak.”
YLT
14And Micaiah saith, `Jehovah
liveth; surely that which Jehovah saith unto me -- it I speak.'
And Micaiah said, as the Lord liveth,.... He swore
by the living God, for the confirmation of what he was about to say:
what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak; truly and
faithfully, keeping nothing back, nor adding anything, whether it be good or
evil, pleasing or displeasing; it looks as if as yet he had no instruction from
the Lord what to say, and yet the vision he later declares seems to have been
had by him before, 1 Kings 22:17.
1 Kings 22:15 15 Then he came to the king;
and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead,
or shall we refrain?”
And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it
into the hand of the king!”
YLT
15And he cometh in unto the
king, and the king saith unto him, `Micaiah, do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead, to
battle, or do we forbear?' and he saith unto him, `Go up, and prosper, and
Jehovah hath given [it] into the hand of the king.'
So he came to the king,.... Being introduced by
the officer:
and the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go up against
Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? the same question in the
same words that was put to the other prophets, 1 Kings 22:6, only
there he uses the singular number, here the plural, including Jehoshaphat with
him:
and he answered him, go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it
into the hand of the king; he answered not in the name of the Lord,
saying, "thus saith the Lord", nor did he speak his own sense and in
his own words, nor seriously, but by way of derision; he took up the words of
the prophets, and bantered them; it is as if he should say, the prophets bid
you go, and tell you that you shall "prosper", and that the city will
be delivered into the king's hand; do as they direct you, and see what the
issue will be, no doubt it will be good, since they are all agreed; but he
delivered the above words with such gestures, and such a tone, and with a
contemptuous smile in his countenance, which showed that he spoke not
seriously, but sarcastically; and this the king plainly discovered, as appears
by what follows.
1 Kings 22:16 16 So the king said to him,
“How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth
in the name of the Lord?”
YLT
16And the king saith unto
him, `How many times am I adjuring thee that thou speak nothing unto me but
truth in the name of Jehovah?'
And the king said unto him, how many times shall I adjure thee,.... Not that
he had as yet adjured him at all, or not till now; but he asks him how often he
must be obliged to do it; and now he adjures him once for all, that he might
not be forced to repeat it:
that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of
the Lord? for he observed he did not speak in the name of the Lord before,
and what he said was not in a serious but ludicrous manner, and not to be
regarded as truth.
1 Kings 22:17 17 Then he said, “I saw all
Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These
have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’”
YLT
17And he saith, `I have seen
all Israel scattered on the hills as sheep that have no shepherd, and Jehovah
saith, These have no master; they turn back each to his house in peace.'
And he said,.... The prophet, in a serious and solemn manner, being adjured
by the king:
I saw all Israel scattered on the hills, as sheep that have not a
shepherd; the armies of Israel routed, dispersed, and fleeing, some one
way and some another, on the mountains of Gilead near Ramoth, weak and
helpless, not knowing where to go for safety, having none to direct them; and
this was either now instantly represented to his mind, or what had been before
in a dream or vision:
and the Lord said, these have no master; these sheep
have no shepherd this army hath no general,
Israel has lost
its king: let them return every man to his house in peace, very few
slain, Jarchi thinks Ahab only, see 1 Kings 22:31 that
part of the threatening, 1 Kings 20:42 was
now to he accomplished, "thy life shall go for his life", but the
other part, "and thy people for his people", was to be deferred to
another time.
1 Kings 22:18 18 And the king of Israel
said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning
me, but evil?”
YLT
18And the king of Israel
saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Have I not said unto thee, He doth not prophesy of me
good, but evil?'
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat,.... Plainly
perceiving that the prophet foretold that he should fall in battle:
did not I tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me,
but evil? intimating that this proceeded from spite and malice, from ill
will to him and hatred of him, and was not from the Lord, and therefore not to
be regarded; he had told him three years ago his life should go for letting
Benhadad go; but it had not proved true, and no more would this; and
Jehoshaphat being an easy man, and too credulous, believed what Ahab said of
the character of this prophet, or otherwise it is not to be accounted for that
he should go with him to war after such a declaration made.
1 Kings 22:19 19 Then Micaiah said,
“Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His
throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His
left.
YLT
19And he saith, `Therefore,
hear a word of Jehovah; I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the
host of the heavens standing by Him, on His right and on His left;
And he saith, hear thou therefore the word of the Lord,.... Since he
had represented what he had said as proceeding from hatred to him, he would
make it clear and plain that what he had said was the word of the Lord, and
according to his mind; and that what the other prophets had said was owing to a
lying spirit in them, which the Lord suffered for his ruin; all which are
represented as in a vision, in which things are brought down to the capacities
of men, and not as really transacted:
I saw the Lord sitting on his throne; so it was
represented to his mind, as if he had seen with his bodily eyes the divine
Being in a glorious form, as a king sitting on his throne, to do justice and
judgment; as Ahab and Jehoshaphat were now sitting on their thrones, only as a
far greater King, even the King of kings, and in a more splendid manner:
and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and
on his left the ministering angels ready to do his will.
1 Kings 22:20 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who
will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke
in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.
YLT
20and Jehovah saith, Who doth
entice Ahab, and he doth go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead? and this one saith
thus, and that one is saying thus.
And the Lord said, who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and
fall at Ramothgilead?.... Not that it can be supposed that the Lord entered into a
consultation with the angels upon this subject; only that it was the decree of
God that he should go thither, and fall by the hand of the man whom he had let
go, as a just punishment of him:
and one said on this manner, and another said on that manner; not that
there was such an altercation among them; it only signifies, that there are various
ways and means, by which the purposes and decrees of God may be and are brought
about.
1 Kings 22:21 21 Then a spirit came forward
and stood before the Lord,
and said, ‘I will persuade him.’
YLT
21`And the spirit goeth out,
and standeth before Jehovah, and saith, I -- I do entice him; and Jehovah saith
unto him, By what?
And there came forth a spirit,.... Not from the
heavenly host on the right hand or the left, for they are pure and holy
spirits, and impeccable, and cannot lie or deceive; but the evil spirit, Satan,
the father of lies, the old deceiver, who came forth from his own place and his
own company:
and stood before the Lord presented himself before
him, as Satan did, Job 1:6,
and said, l will persuade him; or prevail upon him;
evil spirits love to be employed in doing harm to men, they go about seeking
whom they may devour. This could not be the spirit of Naboth, as the Jews sayF17T.
Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 89. 1. & 102. 2. Targum in 2 Chron. xviii. 20. ,
seeking revenge on Ahab; that was in a state of happiness, could not move from
thence, and be capable of sinning.
1 Kings 22:22 22 The Lord said to him,
‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of
all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade
him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’
YLT
22and he saith, I go out, and
have been a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets; and He saith,
Thou dost entice, and also thou art able; go out and do so.
And the Lord said unto him, wherewith?.... What way
and method did he propose, to persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth? the Lord is
introduced in this visionary narrative as asking this question, not as ignorant
of the scheme of the evil spirit, but in order to bring it out, and lead on to
the following account:
and he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets; put them on encouraging Ahab to go up, and
promising him success, as he had in former battles with the king of Syria, and
which might both encourage them to give forth such a prediction, and him to
believe it to be true; this proposal was quite agreeable to the character of
the devil, as the father of lies:
and he said, thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also; not only make
use of this artifice to persuade, but succeed also; the Lord knew that what he
should suggest to the prophets, and they should deliver to Ahab, would be
agreeable to his inclination, nor would he do anything in the course of his
providence to hinder its taking effect:
go forth, and do so; which was giving leave
to try his skill in the art of persuasion, in which he knew he would succeed,
and bring on the righteous judgment of God upon Ahab; with this compare John 13:27.
1 Kings 22:23 23 Therefore look! The Lord has put a
lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared
disaster against you.”
YLT
23And now, lo, Jehovah hath
put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah
hath spoken concerning thee -- evil.'
Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouths
of all these thy prophets,.... That is, suffered the lying spirit to
suggest a lie to them, and sent them strong delusions to believe that lie,
whose minds were disposed at any rate to flatter Ahab, to whom they told it;
which was the way designed to bring him to the ruin appointed for him:
and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee: he had
decreed it in himself, declared it by Micaiah his prophet, and suffered all
those steps to be taken by Satan and the false prophets, to bring him to it.
1 Kings 22:24 24 Now Zedekiah the son of
Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did
the spirit from the Lord
go from me to speak to you?”
YLT
24And Zedekiah son of
Chenaanah draweth nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, `Where
[is] this -- he hath passed over -- the Spirit of Jehovah -- from me to speak
with thee?'
But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near,.... Stepped
in haste and passion from the place where he was:
and smote Micaiah on the cheek; in contempt of him, and
to show his indignation at what he said; this he did in open court, before two
kings; one he believed would favour and screen him in this lawless action, and
the other, out of his own jurisdiction, had not courage and presence of mind to
resent it:
and said, which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak
unto thee? hereby boasting that he had the Spirit of the Lord, and was
directed by him in what he said, and still remained with him, and could not
possibly go to Micaiah, and suggest the very reverse; and therefore pertly asks
him which way the spirit went, intimating that it was impossible he could steer
a course contrary to himself.
1 Kings 22:25 25 And Micaiah said, “Indeed,
you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”
YLT
25And Micaiah saith, `Lo,
thou art seeing on that day, when thou goest in to the innermost chamber to be
hidden.'
And Micaiah said, behold, thou shalt see in the day when thou
shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. Who would either
accompany Ahab to the battle, and, upon his being wounded, flee to the first
place of secrecy for safety; or, upon the news of his defeat brought to
Samaria, would betake himself to a private chamber for security, fearing the
enemy would pursue to the very place; or else through fear of the populace, who
would attribute the death of the king to the advice of him and the other
prophets.
1 Kings 22:26 26 So the king of Israel
said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to
Joash the king’s son;
YLT
26And the king of Israel
saith, `Take Micaiah, and turn him back unto Amon head of the city, and unto
Joash son of the king,
And the king of Israel said,.... To some of his
officers:
take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the
city: the chief magistrate under the king; a sort of sheriff, who had
the care of malefactors, and of all committed to prison, from whom he was
received by the messenger, and now sent back to him:
and to Joash the king's son; who might be over his
household, as sometimes the king's son was, 2 Chronicles 26:21
or might be viceroy while the king was without the city, and at the gate of it,
and about to go to war.
1 Kings 22:27 27 and say, ‘Thus says the
king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction
and water of affliction, until I come in peace.”’”
YLT
27and thou hast said, Thus
said the king, Place ye this one in the house of restraint, and cause him to
eat bread of oppression, and water of oppression, till my coming in peace.'
And say, thus saith the king, put this fellow in prison,.... In the
common prison of the city, where he had been before, as it seems; and might be
now ordered into a more confined place in it, and what might be called
"little ease":
and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of
affliction; with bad bread and foul water, and but little of either; just
enough to keep alive, and to continue starving:
until I come in peace; which he seemed
confident of, and intimates that then he would punish him more severely, even
with death, as a false prophet.
1 Kings 22:28 28 But Micaiah said, “If you
ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.”
And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”
YLT
28And Micaiah saith, `If thou
at all return in peace -- Jehovah hath not spoken by me;' and he saith, `Hear,
O peoples, all of them.'
And Micaiah said, if thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath
not spoken by me,.... I am content to be reckoned a false prophet, and to be
punished as such:
and, he said, hearken, O people, everyone of you; he called
aloud unto them to observe what he had predicted, and mark the issue of it, and
to bear testimony for him, or against him, as things should be.
1 Kings 22:29 29 So the king of Israel and
Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
YLT
29And the king of Israel
goeth up, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, to Ramoth-Gilead.
So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, went up
to Ramothgilead. Which, according to BuntingF18Travels, &c. p. 178.
, was twenty four miles from Samaria. That Ahab went is no wonder, it was his
own motion first, his inclination led to it, his prophets encouraged him, and,
in bravado to the prophet of the Lord, was determined upon it; but it may seem
much more strange that Jehoshaphat should, after such an account as Micaiah had
given, and who, doubtless, could observe a great difference between him and the
prophets of Ahab; and yet there is much to be said which might incline him to
go, as that there were four hundred prophets all agreed, and who made use of
the name of the Lord, and pretended to be true prophets; and though he might
suspect them, he could not confute them; and Micaiah, he prophesied evil of
Ahab only, and therefore Jehoshaphat might think himself safe in going; and
besides, he had given his word to Ahab, and he did not choose to go from it; to
which may be added, that Ahab's cause was just, to recover a part of his own
dominions.
1 Kings 22:30 30 And the king of Israel
said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on
your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
YLT
30And the king of Israel
saith unto Jehoshaphat to disguise himself, and to go into battle, `And thou,
put on thy garments.' And the king of Israel disguiseth himself, and goeth into
battle.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself,
and enter into the battle,.... Change his clothes, his royal robes,
and put on others, perhaps the habit of a common soldier; having, it may be,
been informed by some deserters or spies, of the design of Benhadad against
him. Abarbinel thinks the meaning is, that he would clothe himself with a coat
of mail, and take to him the each of the instruments of war, and so go into the
battle secure; this seems probable from 1 Kings 22:34 and
this he might do to elude the prophecy of Micaiah:
but put thou on thy robes; his royal robes, or
rather keep them on, that he might appear to be the chief commander of the
army. There seems to be a good deal of insincerity and treachery in this
conduct of Ahab's, whatever honour he might pretend to Jehoshaphat, or safety
he might promise him in such a situation; his view seems to be to save himself
at the hazard of the life of Jehoshaphat, especially if the Septuagint version
could be established, "and put on my clothes"; which is natural
enough, but would have been too barefaced:
and the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle; as if he had
been a common soldier.
1 Kings 22:31 31 Now the king of Syria had
commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one
small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”
YLT
31And the king of Aram
commanded the heads of the charioteers whom he hath -- thirty and two --
saying, `Ye do not fight with small or with great, but with the king of Israel
by himself.'
But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that
had the rule over his chariots,.... This was the number of his kings in the
first battle with Israel, and of his captains in the second, 1 Kings 20:1, and
the same number he had now, being very probably not only the number of his
chariots, but the division of his army was into so many battalions, under the
command of these captains of chariots:
saying, fight neither with small nor great; of those that
belonged to Jehoshaphat:
save only with the king of Israel; and his men; for it can
hardly be thought that his orders were to fight with none, nor kill any in the
battle but Ahab personally; though it is very probable he might give them
directions to aim at him chiefly, knowing that, if he was killed or taken, his
army would flee or surrender; and he might be desirous of getting him into his
hands, as he had been in his; and the rather his spite was against him, as he
was the mover of the war.
1 Kings 22:32 32 So it was, when the
captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is
the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and
Jehoshaphat cried out.
YLT
32And it cometh to pass, at
the heads of the charioteers seeing Jehoshaphat, that they said, `He [is] only
the king of Israel;' and they turn aside to him to fight, and Jehoshaphat
crieth out,
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat,.... In his royal robes:
that they said, surely it is the king of Israel; for they
might not know the persons either of Ahab or him, but judged by his habit:
and they turned aside to fight against him; pressed upon
him with all their force, either to take him or slay him:
and Jehoshaphat cried out; with a loud voice,
either to the captains to let them know who he was, or to his men to come to
his assistance, or rather to God to help and deliver him; since it is said in 2 Chronicles 18:31
that the Lord helped him, and moved or inclined the hearts of the captains to
depart from him, as it follows here.
1 Kings 22:33 33 And it happened, when the
captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that
they turned back from pursuing him.
YLT
33and it cometh to pass, at
the heads of the charioteers seeing that he [is] not the king of Israel, that
they turn back from after him.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived
that it was not the king of Israel,.... Against whom only
their orders were to fight:
that they turned back from pursuing him; for upon so
great a force coming upon him he could not withstand, he fled.
1 Kings 22:34 34 Now a certain man
drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his
armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of
the battle, for I am wounded.”
YLT
34And a man hath drawn with a
bow, in his simplicity, and smiteth the king of Israel between the joinings and
the coat of mail, and he saith to his charioteer, `Turn thy hand, and take me
out from the camp, for I have become sick.'
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture,.... Not
aiming at the king of Israel, or knowing whereabout he was. In the Targum on 2 Chronicles 18:33,
this man is said to be Naaman, the general of the army of the king of Syria,
and so Jarchi here; but though he did this in his simplicity, as the word
signifies, without any intention to smite any particular person; yet God
directed the arrow to the man he had marked for destruction, and neither his
disguise, nor coat of mail, could secure from that:
and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: of which the
pieces of armour on him were joined together, the higher and lower parts of it,
the breastplate, and what covered the belly; and though these were joined as
close as they were capable of joining them in those times, yet the arrow,
guided by divine Providence, found its way into his body:
wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, turn thine hand; or hands,
with which he held the reins, and turn the horses on one side:
and carry me out of the host; where the battle was
hottest, to a place more remote and private, that he might have the wound examined,
and the blood stopped, and return again, as it seems he did:
for I am wounded; or rather "I am sick"F19החליתי "aegrotare factus sum", Vatablus;
"aegrotus factus sum", Junius & Tremellius. , or ill, as the
Targum; somewhat out of order, and therefore chose to retire a little while;
not caring it should be known that he was smitten and wounded, lest his
soldiers should be disheartened.
1 Kings 22:35 35 The battle increased that
day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died
at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot.
YLT
35And the battle increaseth
on that day, and the king hath been caused to stand in the chariot,
over-against Aram, and he dieth in the evening, and the blood of the wound
runneth out unto the midst of the chariot,
And the battle increased that day,.... It went on, and did
not stop upon Ahab's going out of the host, but was very hot, and both sides
fought furiously:
and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians: the Targum
is,
"he
strengthened himself, and stood;'
he
exerted himself to the uttermost, and stood as long as he could, or could be
supported, fighting against the Syrians, to animate his army, and that the
Syrians might not have any notion of his being wounded:
and died at even: in his chariot:
and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot; or
"bosom"F20אל חיק
"ad sinum", Montanus; "in sinum", Vatablus. of it, the
hollow part of it.
1 Kings 22:36 36 Then, as the sun was going
down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and
every man to his own country!”
YLT
36and he causeth the cry to
pass over through the camp, at the going in of the sun, saying, `Each unto his
city, and each unto his land.'
And there went a proclamation throughout the host, about the going
down of the sun,.... Much about the time that Ahab died; and this proclamation by
an herald might be made by his order, as he was dying, or by Jehoshaphat, when
he understood he was dead:
saying, every man to his city, and every man to his own country; the order was
to cease fighting, and make the best of their way as fast as they could to
their own homes, since their shepherd and master was dead, which fulfilled the
vision of Micaiah, 1 Kings 22:17. It
seems to have been a drawn battle, at least there is no account of the
advantage on either side.
1 Kings 22:37 37 So the king died, and was
brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.
YLT
37And the king dieth, and
cometh into Samaria, and they bury the king in Samaria;
So the king died, and they brought him to Samaria,.... In the
chariot he died in:
and they buried the king in Samaria; where his father Omri
was buried, 1 Kings 16:28.
1 Kings 22:38 38 Then someone washed
the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the
harlots bathed,[b] according
to the word of the Lord
which He had spoken.
YLT
38and [one] rinseth the chariot
by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs lick his blood -- when the armour they had
washed -- according to the word of Jehovah that He spake.
And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria,.... After the
body was taken out, very likely the chariot driver, who drove it into the pool,
and plunged it into it, as the word signifies, to cleanse it from the blood of
his master:
and the dogs licked up his blood; mixed with the water of
the pool; the Septuagint adds, "the swine", which is not probable,
such creatures not being bred in the land of Israel:
and they washed his armour; his coat of mail,
through the joints of which the blood issued, and ran upon it. The word is
sometimes used for whores, and is so translated here in the Greek version, and
by Munster and Castalio; and both Ben Gersom and Abarbinel say, that women, who
were harlots, washed here in his blood, mixed with water; and so JosephusF21Antiqu.
l. 8. c. 15. sect. 6. writes, that afterwards it was a custom for whores to
wash in this pool; though some sayF23See Jarchi & Kimchi in loc.
two whores were painted on Ahab's chariot, by the order of Jezebel, to inflame
his lust, and these were what were washed; but the word signifies armour, or
rather ornaments, clothes, jewels, &c.
and now all this was according to the word of the Lord which he
spake; both by Elijah, that as the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, so
they should his, as they now did, though not in the same place; nor was it
necessary to fulfil the prophecy; see Gill on 1 Kings 21:19,
though some have thoughtF24Kimchi in loc. that his blood, mixed with
the water of the pool of Samaria, was carried in a stream down to Jezreel, and
there licked by the dogs, where Naboth's was; but chiefly what was spoken by
Micaiah is here respected, that thus Ahab fell at Ramothgilead, as he had
prophesied, 1 Kings 22:17 and
his life went for the life of Benhadad, as he had before declared, 1 Kings 20:42.
1 Kings 22:39 39 Now the rest of the acts
of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which he built and all the cities
that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?
YLT
39And the rest of the matters
of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the
cities that he built, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the
kings of Israel?
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the
ivory house which he made,.... Which, being a very curious and
extraordinary thing, is particularly mentioned; though perhaps it might not be
made wholly of ivory, but inlaid with it; we read of ivory houses in Amos 3:15,
and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? in which the acts of his
predecessors were recorded, see 1 Kings 14:19 not the
Scripture book of Chronicles, for there none of these things are related.
1 Kings 22:40 40 So Ahab rested with his
fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
YLT
40And Ahab lieth with his
fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigneth in his stead.
So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his
stead, Of whom more is said in the latter part of this chapter, and in
the following book.
1 Kings 22:41 41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa
had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
YLT
41And Jehoshaphat son of Asa
hath reigned over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel,
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the
fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. And as Ahab reigned
twenty two years, 1 Kings 16:29,
Jehoshaphat must reign about eighteen years with him, and seven years after
him.
1 Kings 22:42 42 Jehoshaphat was
thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in
Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
YLT
42Jehoshaphat [is] a son of
thirty and five years in his reigning, and twenty and five years he hath
reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Azubah daughter of
Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat was thirty five years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem,.... So that he must be
sixty years of age when he died:
and his mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi; but of what
family they were is not said.
1 Kings 22:43 43 And he walked in all the
ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was
right in the eyes of the Lord.
Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered
sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
YLT
43And he walketh in all the
way of Asa his father, he hath not turned aside from it, to do that which [is]
right in the eyes of Jehovah; only the high places have not turned aside, yet
are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.
And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father,.... Who was a
good prince:
he turned not aside from doing that which was right in the eyes of
the Lord; in his moral conversation, religious worship, and civil
government:
nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, for the people
offered and burnt incense yet in the high places; he took away the high
places and groves for idolatrous worship, 2 Chronicles 17:6,
but not the high places in which sacrifices were offered to the Lord, which
ought to have been, especially since the temple was built; and those in the
tribes of Judah and Benjamin were altogether inexcusable, being near to the
temple, and under no restraint, as those of the ten tribes were; but the people
were fond of them, because of their antiquity, and it was difficult for
religious princes to remove them, if inclined.
1 Kings 22:44 44 Also Jehoshaphat made
peace with the king of Israel.
YLT
44And Jehoshaphat maketh
peace with the king of Israel;
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. First with
Ahab, with whom he contracted an affinity, and joined with him in his
expedition to Ramothgilead, and with Ahaziah his successor.
1 Kings 22:45 45 Now the rest of the acts
of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
YLT
45and the rest of the matters
of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he got, and with which he fought, are they
not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
And all the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and all his might
that he showed, and all his wars, are they not written in the book of the
Chronicles of the kings of Israel? Many of them are recorded
in the canonical book of Scripture, which bears the name of Chronicles; and
more might be in this referred to, out of which might be taken what God has
thought fit to transmit to future times; see 2 Chronicles 17:1.
1 Kings 22:46 46 And the rest of the
perverted persons,[c] who
remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land.
YLT
46And the remnant of the
whoremongers who were left in the days of Asa his father he took away out of
the land;
And the remnant of the Sodomites, which remained in the days of
his father Asa, he took out of the land. His father Asa removed
many of these filthy creatures, but not all; as many, no doubt, as came within
his knowledge, but some remained, whom this his son removed, being of the same
disposition with his father, see 1 Kings 15:12.
1 Kings 22:47 47 There was
then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.
YLT
47and there is no king in
Edom; he set up a king.
There was then no king in Edom, a deputy was king. Which had been
the case from the times of David, who subdued Edom, and placed garrisons in it,
and governors over it, 2 Samuel 8:14 and
continued through the reign of Jehoshaphat, unto the times of his son, under
whom the Edomites revolted, and set up a king of their own, 2 Kings 8:20, with
a view to which this is observed, as also to account for it how Jehoshaphat
could build ships in Eziongeber, which was in the land of Edom, of which in the
next verse, because the whole country was governed by a viceroy, or deputy,
under him.
1 Kings 22:48 48 Jehoshaphat made merchant
ships[d] to go to
Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion
Geber.
YLT
48Jehoshaphat made ships at
Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, and they went not, for the ships were broken
in Ezion-Geber.
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish,.... Ships to go to sea,
particularly the Indian sea, 1 Kings 10:22.
Tarshish is used for the sea in general, Psalm 48:7, in the
Cetib, or text, it is "ten"; in the Keri, or margin, it is
"made", which we follow, and may be put together, as in the Tigurine
version, and read, "he made ten ships to go by sea":
even to go to Ophir for gold; as Solomon did; of which
place see 1 Kings 9:28,
but they went not, for the ships were broken at Eziongeber; the port
where they were built: as soon as they were launched, or sailed, they were
broken to pieces against the rocks near the harbour, which stood up like a
man's backbone, whence the port had its name; See Gill on 1 Kings 9:26, and
if this was Calzem, as there observed, near to it was a dangerous place for
ships, and where many were lost, and is supposed to be the place where Pharaoh
and his host were drownedF25Vid. Geograph. Nub. Climat. 3. par. 3.
in fine. ; the reason of this shipwreck was, because Jehoshaphat joined himself
with Ahaziah king of Israel, for which he was reproved by the prophet Eliezer,
and this was his punishment, 2 Chronicles 20:35.
1 Kings 22:49 49 Then Ahaziah the son of
Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.”
But Jehoshaphat would not.
YLT
49Then said Ahaziah son of
Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, `Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships;' and
Jehoshaphat was not willing.
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat,.... Who very
probably had built some more ships on his own, having broke off his partnership
with Ahaziah:
let my servants go with thy servants in the ships; since he was
refused a part in the ships themselves, he desires leave to send men aboard
them to traffic for him abroad:
but Jehoshaphat would not; having been reproved by
a prophet of the Lord, and had suffered the loss of his ships by joining with
him already.
1 Kings 22:50 50 And Jehoshaphat rested
with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his
father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
YLT
50And Jehoshaphat lieth with
his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David his father,
and Jehoram his son reigneth in his stead.
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David his father,.... In the city of Sion,
where David, Rehoboam, Abijam, and Asa, were buried:
and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead; who was now
thirty two years of age, and he reigned ten years.
1 Kings 22:51 51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab
became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king
of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
YLT
51Ahaziah son of Ahab hath
reigned over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah,
and reigneth over Israel two years,
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the
seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah,.... It is observed, that
Jehoshaphat began to reign in the fourth year of Ahab, and Ahab reigned twenty
two years, see 1 Kings 22:41, and
therefore Ahab's son must begin to reign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat;
but perhaps he was made king in his father's lifetime, before he went on his
expedition to Ramothgilead, or Ahab's reign was not twenty two years complete:
and reigned two years over Israel; not complete, as appears
from 2 Kings 3:1.
1 Kings 22:52 52 He did evil in the sight
of the Lord,
and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin;
YLT
52and doth the evil thing in
the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the way of his father, and in the way of
his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin,
Which
evil was idolatry:
and walked in the way of his father; his father Ahab, who
worshipped Baal:
and in the way of his mother; his mother Jezebel, who
was still living, and served Baal and Astarte, the deities of her country:
and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat; who set up
and worshipped the golden calves:
who made Israel to sin; by the worship of the
same, into which he drew them by his example and authority.
1 Kings 22:53 53 for he served Baal and
worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger,
according to all that his father had done.
YLT
53and serveth the Baal, and
boweth himself to it, and provoketh Jehovah, God of Israel, according to all
that his father had done.
For he served Baal, and worshipped him,.... That is,
Ahaziah served him, as his father had done, and his mother still did:
and provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according to all
that his father had done; of which there is an instance in the first chapter of the
following book; for falling through a lattice, and becoming sick upon it, he
quickly died, having sent messengers to inquire of the god of Ekron whether he
should die or not.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)