1 Kings 22:1-28

1 Kings 22:1-28

[1] And they continued  three  years  without war  between Syria  and Israel.  [2] And it came to pass in the third  year,  that Jehoshaphat  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 Jehoshaphat,  with me to battle  to Ramothgilead?  And Jehoshaphat  said  to the king  of Israel,  I am as thou  art, my people  my horses  [5] And Jehoshaphat  said  unto the king  of Israel,  Enquire,  I pray thee, at the word  of the LORD  to day.  [6] Then the king  of Israel  the prophets  together,  about four  hundred  men,  and said  against Ramothgilead  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 Jehoshaphat  said,  Is there not here a prophet  of the LORD  besides,  that we might enquire  [8] And the king  of Israel  said  unto Jehoshaphat,  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 Jehoshaphat  said,  Let not the king  say  [9] Then the king  of Israel  called  an  officer,  and said,  Hasten  hither Micaiah  the son  of Imlah.  [10] And the king  of Israel  and Jehoshaphat  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  [11] And Zedekiah  the son  of Chenaanah  made  him horns  of iron:  and he said,  the LORD,  With these shalt thou push  the Syrians,  until thou have consumed  them. [12] And all the prophets  prophesied  so, saying,  Go up  to Ramothgilead,  and prosper:  for the LORD  shall deliver  it into the king's  hand.  [13] And the messenger  that was gone  to call  Micaiah  spake  unto him, saying,  Behold now, the words  of the prophets  declare good  unto the king  with one  mouth:  let thy word,  of one  of them, and speak  that which is good.  [14] And Micaiah  said,  As the LORD  liveth,  what the LORD  saith  unto me, that will I speak.  [15] So he came  to the king.  said  unto him, Micaiah,  against Ramothgilead  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 master:  let them return  every man  to his house  in peace.  [18] And the king  of Israel  said  unto Jehoshaphat,  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 Ramothgilead?  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  [22] 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  [23] Now therefore, behold, the LORD  hath put  a lying  spirit  in the mouth  of all these thy prophets,  and the LORD  hath spoken  evil  [24] But Zedekiah  the son  of Chenaanah  went near,  and smote  Micaiah  on the cheek,  and said,  Which way  went  the Spirit  of the LORD  from me to speak  [25] And Micaiah  said,  Behold, thou shalt see  in that day,  when thou shalt go  into an inner  to hide  [26] And the king  of Israel  said,  Take  Micaiah,  and carry him back  unto Amon  the governor  of the city,  and to Joash  the king's  son;  [27] And say,  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  in peace,  the LORD  hath not spoken  by me. And he said,  Hearken,  O people,  every one of you.

What does 1 Kings 22:1-28 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Another significant battle occurred between the battle of Ramoth-gilead that the writer recorded in chapter22 (853 B.C.) and the battles he recorded in chapter20. Ahab and his Aramean ally Ben-Hadad II (860-841 B.C.) defeated their mutual foe King Shalmaneser III of Assyria at Qarqar on the Orontes River in Aram (also in853 B.C.). [1] Assyrian records set the date for this battle making it one of the clear benchmarks in Old Testament chronology. [2] The writers of Scripture did not refer to this battle, but a record of it that Shalmaneser wrote has survived and is now in the British Museum. [3] Perhaps it was this victory that encouraged Ahab to challenge his ally at Ramoth-gilead.
King Jehoshaphat of Judah had come to Judah"s throne in873 B.C. and had formed an alliance by marriage with Ahab ( 2 Chronicles 18:1). He had undoubtedly come down from Jerusalem (topographically, and symbolically) to Samaria at Ahab"s invitation. 1 Kings 22:1-2 seem to introduce the events in 1 Kings 22:3-40 as they read in the text. However, several years passed between Jehoshaphat"s visit in 1 Kings 22:2 and Ahab"s invitation to him in 1 Kings 22:4 (cf. 2 Chronicles 18:1-2). [4] Evidently the three years of peace mentioned in 1 Kings 22:1 followed the Battle of Aphek ( 1 Kings 20:26-30; 873 B.C.). Ahab"s invitation to Jehoshaphat to join him in battle against the Arameans at Ramoth-gilead ( 1 Kings 22:3-4) must have taken place in854or853 B.C.
Ramoth-gilead had been one of the chief cities in Gad, east of Jezreel about33miles, but the Arameans had captured it. Jehoshaphat was a devotee of Yahweh. It was typical of him to inquire concerning the Lord"s will ( 1 Kings 22:5), though Ahab could not have cared less to do so. The400 prophets Ahab assembled may have been apostate prophets of Yahweh since Baal prophets would probably have been unacceptable to Jehoshaphat ( 1 Kings 22:6; cf. 1 Kings 22:11-12; 1 Kings 22:24). We should therefore interpret Jehoshaphat"s request for a prophet of Yahweh ( 1 Kings 22:7) as a request for a faithful prophet. Ahab hated Micaiah because he always told the king the truth. Ahab wanted to feel good more than he wanted to know the truth. This is another evidence of Ahab"s continuing antagonism toward Yahweh and His representatives (cf. 1 Kings 21:20).
Like Elijah, Micaiah was willing to stand alone for God ( 1 Kings 22:14; cf. 1 Kings 18:22). Micaiah had stood before Ahab many times before ( 1 Kings 22:8). This time he told the king what he wanted to hear sarcastically ( 1 Kings 22:15). Ahab"s reply was also sarcastic ( 1 Kings 22:16); He had never had to tell Micaiah to speak the truth in Yahweh"s name. Micaiah"s vision of Israel was of defenseless sheep without a human shepherd, namely, Ahab. They would come home after the battle peacefully ( 1 Kings 22:17). The king responded to this prophecy of his death glibly ( 1 Kings 22:18). He could not have believed the Lord"s word and gone into battle. Saul had done the same thing ( 1 Samuel 28; 1 Samuel 31). Micaiah proceeded to explain that Ahab was the target of God"s plan. He would lure him into battle. Still Ahab remained unbelieving. God was Ahab"s real enemy, not Aram. [5]
"Foolishly, Ahab thought Elijah and Micaiah were his enemies when, quite the contrary, they were his only links to a future worth living. Today"s readers of Scripture have the same option that was offered Ahab: they may hear and repent, or they may sulk and resent the messenger." [6]
Similarly, Saul regarded David as his enemy. The identity of the spirit that stood before the Lord and offered to entice Ahab ( 1 Kings 22:21, cf. 1 Kings 22:6) is problematic. This "spirit" may be the personified spirit of prophecy, or it may have been a demon or Satan. Saul also saw a spirit shortly before he died ( 1 Samuel 28; 1 Samuel 31).
". . . God Himself instigated and authorized the deception of Ahab, as indicated by the Lord"s initial question to the assembly ( 1 Kings 22:20), His commission to the spirit ( 1 Kings 22:22), and Micaiah"s willingness to prophesy a lie after he had vowed to speak only the word of the Lord ( 1 Kings 22:14-15). If the spirit of 1 Kings 22:20-23 can be identified with the divine spirit that energizes prophecy ( 1 Kings 22:24), this thesis is further corroborated. The introduction of the truth, rather than ameliorating the deception, shows how effective it was. Even when faced with the truth, Ahab insisted on charging into battle, for the lying spirit working through the prophetic majority had convinced him he would be victorious." [7]
". . . God is truthful in that He keeps His unconditional promises to His people and fulfills His sovereign decrees and oaths. God"s commitment to truthfulness, however, does not mean that He never uses deceit as a method of judgment on sinners. But He does so without compromising His truthful character and commitment to righteousness." [6]
Another view is that Satan initiated and superintended demonic activity, which God permitted (cf. 2 Samuel 24:1; 1 Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:13-22; Job 2:7; Zechariah 3:1; Matthew 12:24; John 8:44). [9]
Striking on the cheek ( 1 Kings 22:24) was a much greater insult then than it is now. Zedekiah was bluffing to the very end. Ahab proved to be hard to the point of insensibility instead of repenting at this prophetic word of judgment, as he had previously done ( 1 Kings 22:26-27; cf. 1 Kings 21:27). Time would tell that Micaiah"s words were from the Lord ( 1 Kings 22:28).
"The comment in 1 Kings 22:25-26 [10] certainly makes Ahab to be the worst of all twenty kings of Israel." [11]
"The king"s function was to be immersed in the Law of the Lord and to lead his people in obedience to it ( Deuteronomy 17:18-20), not to be leading them in Baal worship ( 1 Kings 18) or in listening to innumerable false prophets (chap22)." [7]