1 Kings 22

1 Kings 22:1-14

Ahab’s respite was short, his ruin save, which was in this chapter is accomplished. 1. He prepares for it was against Syria, v. 2—4. 2. At Jehofsaphat’s desire he consults his prophets, who promise him success, v. 5—12. 3. Micaiah, a true prophet, foretells his fall at Ramoth-gilead, v. 13—18. And Jesus have he come to be impelled upon by his prophets, v. 19—23. For which he is abused by Zezekiah, v. 24, 25. and imprisoned by Ahab, v. 26—28. 4. In the battle Jehofsaphat is in danger, and Ahab Raim, v. 29—40. 5. A short account is given, 1. Of Jehofsaphat’s good reign, v. 41—50. 2. Of Abeniah’s wicked reign, v. 51—53.

1. AND they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. 2. And it came to be past in the third year, that Jehofsaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3. And the king of Israel said unto his Servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? 4. And he said unto Jehofsaphat, ‘Wilt thou go with me to battle, to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehofsaphat said to the king of Israel, ‘I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 5. And Jehofsaphat said unto the king of Israel, ‘Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to-day. 6. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or Shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 7. And Jehofsaphat said, ‘Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him? 8. And the king of Israel said unto Jehofsaphat, There is yet one man, (Micaiah the son of Imlah) by whom we may enquire of the LORD; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehofsaphat said, Let not the king say so. 9. Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Haften his/her Micaiah the son of Imlah. 10. And the king of Israel, and Jehofsaphat the king of Judah, sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11. And Zezekiah the son of Chenaeah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, with these shalt thou youth the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. 12. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and ‘proper for the LORD shall deliver it into the king’s hand. 13. And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah, speak unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one

Before Chord one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which it good. 14. And Micaiah said, At the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

Three years of peace, like the calm which ushers in the thorns, bring Ahab’s respite to an end, and haden on the fatal day.

1. Ramoth-gilead was now in the hands of the Syrians, which Ahab resolves, with the assistance of his ally Jehofthaphat, to rescue from them; repenting either his former lenity to Beuhadad, or provoked at his perfidy, if we interpret the words, Chap. xx. 34. of a promise to restore the cities of Israel, which he afterwards refused to perform. Note, (1.) When by our neglect we lose the opportunity God gives us, afterwards we struggle but in vain to recover it. (2.) Treaties are slender bonds to hold perfidious princes.

2. Ahab asks, and Jehofthaphat confents, to accompany him in the expedition. He had made peace with Ahab, had confessed it by marrying his son to Ahab’s daughter, and now he has not the heart to deny him, though it brought him into a very dangerous and unsuccessful quarrel. Note, The wicked are too worldly wise for God’s children, and connections with them usually end in their hols and damage.

3. Though Jehofthaphat confents to go, he is first for asking counsel of God: whereupon Ahab, who never thought of confiding God in the matter, sends for his court prophets, whose complaisance he pretty well knew, to advise with. Very unanimous are their declarations; Go, and prosper, is all the cry; nay, one of them, as imitating the signs of a real prophet, with horns of iron, emblems of majesty and strength, predicts such shall be their power and success, that the Syrians shall be utterly destroyed; and, to engage Jehofthaphat’s credit, prefaces his declaration with the name not of Baal but Jehovah. Note, (1.) The false prophets in every age are a numerous body, and with the want of God’s name in their mouth, more fatally lie in vain to deceive. (2.) Unity and multitude are neither proofs of a true church, nor a good cause: the faithful were ever few.

4. Jehofthaphat is little satisfied with these pretenders; and, though unwilling to affront Ahab by suggesting his real sentiments, asks if there was no other prophet of the Lord besides these, to consult with. Ahab mentions one more, Micaiah, a prophet indeed of God; but he hated him for his ill-boding tongue, never prophesying good concerning him; and it seems he was now in prison, See ver. 26. probably for the message delivered, Chap. xx. 38. Jehofthaphat gently reproves the wicked king, who merited a more severe rebuke; and Ahab, just to disobey his ally, confents Micaiah shall be brought whilst they, seated on thrones in their royal robes, surrounded with their courtiers and prophets, waited his arrival. Note, (1.) We must not believe every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, and false prophets afford no difficult detection. (2.) They who do ill, must not expect to hear from God’s prophets visions of peace. (3.) There is no farer proof of a false teacher, than his prophesying smooth things, and suffering the careless and the hypocrite to sleep in their sins.

5. Ahab knew where Micaiah lay full bound, and therefore his others soon finds him. By the way, he fails not to acquaint him with the unanimity of the other prophets, and to advise him to conform to them, as the king’s pleasure was well known, and his dissent from them might bring him into full greater trouble and suffering. But Micaiah with solemn indignation replets such pusillanimous and wretched counsel. He sought not to please men; he served a greater matter than these who sat on nottering thrones; and as he feared not their faces, whether it please or displease, he must and will speak as God commands. Note, (1.) No worldly fear or hope can intimidate the faithful minister: he will hazard the hols of men’s favour, rather than he false to their souls. (2.) When deluding teachers abound, we must be no singular, if we would be faithful.

6. So he came to the king, and the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, ‘Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 16. And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee, that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?’ 17. And he said, ‘I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a Shepherd: and the LORD said, ‘These have no matter, let them return every man to his house in peace. 18. And the king of Israel said unto Jehofthaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?’ 19. And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: ‘I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on

his right hand, and on his left. 20. And the LORD said, Who shall? persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and ‘I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, ‘Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth and do so. 23. Now therefore behold,’ the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these dry prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. 24. But Zedekiah the son of Chernanah went near, and ‘imore Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee? 25. And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 26. And the king of Israel said, ‘Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Ammon the governor of the city, and to loath the king’s son: 27. And say, Thou saith the king, ‘Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction, and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. 28. And Micaiah said, ‘If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, ‘Hearken, O people, every one of you.

1 Kings 22:15-28

Micaiah now appears before the kings and courtiers, alone but not unsupported; God was with him, therefore could he not be moved.

1. Ahab puts the same question to him he had before put to his own prophets; and Micaiah, who had heard their answer, and knew the king’s mind, answered him in their very words, but with such a tone and gesture, as evidently bespoke contempt of his prophets, and the vanity of their prophecy. Note, It is folly, that deserves to be ridiculed, to ask advice of others, when you are determined to follow your own.

2. Ahab perceived the irony of his answer, and adjures him, without further delay, to speak his mind; and this he doth freely and boldly. He saw the armies of Israel scattered on the hills near Ramoth-gilead, and their Shepherd warning; intimating, that Ahab should fall in the battle, and Israel be defeated. Note, Sinners cannot be too plainly warned of their danger.

3. Exasperated at such a declaration, which he interpreted only the prophet’s malice and ill-will against him, he turns to the too credulous Jehofthaphat, to divert him from attending to such a prophecy. But Micaiah confirms his first vision by a second, whereas he describes Ahab’s determined ruin, and the means employed to destroy him, by a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets, v. 19—23. We are not to suppose this a real confutation, that God wanted means to accomplish his designs, or was the author of a lie. No; it is only designed to represent, after the manner of men, the fixed purpose of God respecting Ahab, and his just judgment in permitting the devil to deceive him. Since he will not hear God’s truth, let him believe Satan’s lie. Note, (1.) The greatest business shown in faithful rebuke to men’s souls, is often perversely misinterpreted into selfish anger, or dislike of their perition. (2.) God ruled over all: the greatest are but worms of earth, and however men kick at it, his council must stand. (3.) No way doth the devil more fatally defuse men’s souls to their eternal ruin, than as a lying spirit in their mouths, who pretend a mutton from God. (4.) God shalt, without impeachment of his glory, permit Satan to tempt sinners, and by withholding his grace from them, gives them up to be led captive by him at his will. (5.) The sinner abandoned of God, rushes on his ruin, as the horse rushed into the battle.

4. Zedekiah cannot bear such an infamous reflection, and with insistent effrontery, in the king’s presence, strikes Micaiah over the face, and treats with contempt his prophecy, as if himself alone had the spirit, who could not contradict his own inspirations, and therefore intimates, that Micaiah’s was the lying spirit; which abuts Micaiah returns not with abuts, but warning. His falsity should be detected, when he should fly to an inner chamber to hide himself, either through fear, if he went with Ahab, on seeing the battle go against them; or, if he stayed at home, to escape the people incensed at his false prophecy. Note, (1.) The bitterest enemies of God’s true prophets are the teachers of lies. ‘Thele, to support their own credit with the people, seek, by every safe suggestion and expression, to prevent the influence of the truth, lest the shame of their nakedness should appear. (2.) Confusion will shortly cover the wicked, and those who will not take God’s warning, must feel his wrath.

5. Ahab seconds his prophet’s abuts, commits the innocent Micaiah to prison, and bids him be hardly treated till his return in peace, which he speaks of with confidence, then denying

figning to execute him for a false prophet. Micaiah is very ready to rest his life on this issue; and they part thus, never to meet again. Note, (1.) The career of persecutors is often stopped short. (2.) They have little reason to promise themselves peace, who are declaring war against God in the perish of his prophet.

39. So the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle, but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. 31. But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 32. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they laid, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and I smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harmless; wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the hoft, for I am I wounded. 35. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the mold of the chariot. 36. And there were a proclamation throughout the hoft, about the going down of the sun, saying, ‘Every man to his city, and every man to his own country. 37. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. 38. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and they washed his armour,’ according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. 39. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40. So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

40. 39—40. Not deterred by these commissions, Ahab resolves to proceed; and Jehoshaphat, either deduced by the multitude of the false prophets, or unable to resist Ahab’s importunity, and recode from his word, goes with him.

41. To disappoint Micaiah’s prophecy, and to dupe the too early Jehoshaphat, Ahab disguises himself, or, for security, changed his royal role: for a coat of mail; and, whilst he pretends to honour his brother and ally, leaves him the post of honour, but at the same time exposed to the greatest danger. Note, (1.) They who are guleshed themselves, are unsuspicious of others. (2.) Wicked men, to compels their own ends, stick not to betray their best friend.

42. Jehoshaphat now is exposed to the most imminent peril. Benhadad had given charge to direct their chief attack wherever the king of Israel was posted, and Jehoshaphat in his royal robes is easily mistaken for him, and ready to perish. On his crying out, either for help, his troops rescued him, or the Syrians perceived their mistake, and left him; or perhaps this cry was the voice of prayer to God, who interposed to save him. Note, (1.) When we are out of the way of duty, we must not wonder we get into mischief. (2.) They who cry out to God, will ever find him a very present help in trouble.

43. Ahab’s disguise affords him no protection. Though escaping the formed design on his person, God has a deeper plan, which must succeed. An arrow, drawn at a venture, but aimed by an unerring hand, and driven with resistless force, pierced the armour of Ahab where only it was vulnerable, and death entered at the wound. Note, (1.) When our hour is come, there is no avoiding our destiny. (2.) Events to us purely accidental, are the effects of wisdom, which never errs in the execution of decrees that cannot be disappointed.

44. Though mortally wounded, Ahab kept the field, and whilst his heart’s blood flowed out into his chariot, continued to encourage his soldiers. But his strength began to fail; the king of terror now had seized him, and at evening he died. Hampers, according to Micaiah’s prophecy, a proclamation was immediately issued for every man to retire to his home. Note, It is in vain to struggle against God’s decree.

45. The fulfilment of the prophecy of Elijah is remarked, before Christ. 9. 38. When his bloody armour and chariot were washed, the dogs lapped the water mingled with blood. Thus ended the wicked reign of Ahab, whose greatness and buildings, particularly the ivory house he made, are recorded more at large in the annals of Israel’s kings, which are perished. His crown, with his sins, and the curle entailed on him, descended to his ungodly son Ahaziah.

46. ¶ And ‘Jehoshaphat the son of Afa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42. Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Ahaziah the daughter of Shilisi. 43. And he walked in all the way of Afa his father, he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: never the left, the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt inwards yet in the high places. 44. And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. 45. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warned, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46. And the remnant of the Sodomites which remained in the days of his father Afa, he took out of the land. 47. ‘There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king. 48. ‘Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharrhith to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not; for the ships were broken at Exxon-greer. 49. Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships: but Jehoshaphat would not. 50. ¶ And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 51. ¶ Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52. And he did evil in the light 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 made Israel to sin. 53. For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

47. 41—53. We have here.

48. The happy reign of Jehoshaphat. During twenty-five years, he governed Judah in great prosperity, and stands among the most eminent of the race of David for piety, and fidelity in alarming to God’s worthy and ways. The exceptionable part of his character was his affinity with Ahab and Ahaziah, for which he smarted, in the danger he was exposed to by the one, and the unsuccessful event of the partnership in trade with the other. 9. 48. Being warned by a prophet, he corrected that error, 9. 49. The high places also were permitted to remain, those at least that had been in a sort of unconscionable and ancient use, and the sacrifices of great and good men; though now, when the temple was erected, these were forbidden, and should have been removed with the rest, 2 Chron. xvii. 6. Edom yet continued tributary, which in the next reign revolted, 9. 47. At last he paid the common tribute to nature, and left his flourishing kingdom to a son, who grievously degenerated from the piety of his ancestors. Note, (1.) No character is found beneath the sun perfectly footless. Optimus ille qui minimis argitur. (2.) It is a mercy when our crosses lead us to amend our errors. (3.) The best parent cannot entail his piety with his estate.

49. Ahaziah, following the example of his abandoned predecessor, and given up to the guidance of his most infamous mother, Jezebel, begins his insubpicious reign with wickedness, and quickly ends it in misery. Note, Wicked parents contribute to the ruin of their children, body and soul.

¶ Per. 50.] To reconcile the different accounts of the time of Jehoram’s beginning to reign, we must, with Dr. Lephelot, suppose, that he was thrice proclaimed king, twice in conjunction with his father, and the third time alone. 1. In the year before Christ 9, a little before his father’s expedition to Ramoth-gilead, which accounts for a King’s 17. 2. In the year 8, two years before Jehoshaphat’s death, which explains a King’s viii. 16. 3. In the year 8, soon after his father’s death.

The End of the First Book of Kings. VOL. I. 5 I THE