The Meaning of 1 Kings 22:17 Explained

1 Kings 22:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: And 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.'

Darby: And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

ASV: And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 22:17 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 22:13-28 - What Jehovah Saith… That Will I Speak
Ramoth was one of the cities of refuge, situated across the Jordan. The false prophets spake as they knew would please the king and gain the popular ear. But Micaiah did not scruple to say that the spirit of a demon was making use of their lips for the utterance of beguiling falsehood. He was evidently speaking metaphorically. By an ironical method of speech he suggested that the voices of such prophets were not to be accepted as truth. He knew well enough God's living voice. In the silence and solitude of his prison, shut away from all the world besides, he had learned to detect the accent of truth, and could easily discriminate between it and the lying boasts of the false prophets. We must try the spirits, whether they are of God, 1 John 4:1. Beware of being beguiled by every voice that speaks in your heart. God's voice almost always calls you to take up the cross and stand alone against the crowd. It summons to the straight gate and the narrow way.
"Carry him back!" cried the king. He hated the man of God, as the thief dreads a watch-dog. But better a thousand times be in that dungeon with Micaiah than faring sumptuously at Ahab's table. Do not hide yourself from the truth. Let it search, though it hurt you. It will save you from the unerring arrow.
1 Kings 22:1-53 - A Prosperous Nation
What a picture is here given of national contentment and prosperity! We can almost hear the gladsome voice of the myriad-peopled land, teeming with young life and laden with golden harvests. It was the summer of their national existence. The sacred scribe enumerates first the high officials of the court, then the daily provision of the king, his studies, and his fame. Abundant proof was yielded by all these circumstances to the manner in which God kept the pledges which had been made to David, his father.
Here is Solomon "in all his glory," but as we turn from him to the lowly Carpenter of Nazareth, who had nowhere to lay His head; who found His friends among the poor; and who ultimately laid down His life a ransom for many, we realize that, even apart from His divine nature, His was the nobler ideal and the richer existence. "A greater than Solomon is here." Who can measure His empire or resources? What tongue can recount His wisdom? Happy and safe are they that sit at His table, hear His words, and are joint-heirs with Him in His Kingdom! Romans 8:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 22

1  Ahab, seduced by false prophets, by Michaiah's word, is slain at Ramoth Gilead
37  The dogs lick up his blood, and Ahaziah succeeds him
41  Jehoshaphat's good reign
45  His acts
46  Jehoram succeeds him
51  Ahaziah's evil reign

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 22:17 mean?

and he said I saw - all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that no have shepherd And said Yahweh no master These have let return each to his house in peace
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נְפֹצִ֣ים אֶל־ הֶהָרִ֔ים כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־ לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לֹֽא־ אֲדֹנִ֣ים לָאֵ֔לֶּה יָשׁ֥וּבוּ אִישׁ־ לְבֵית֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רָאִ֤יתִי  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
נְפֹצִ֣ים  scattered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
הֶהָרִ֔ים  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
כַּצֹּ֕אן  as  sheep 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אֵין־  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
רֹעֶ֑ה  shepherd 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָעָה 
Sense: to pasture, tend, graze, feed.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֹֽא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
אֲדֹנִ֣ים  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
לָאֵ֔לֶּה  These  have 
Parse: Preposition-l, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
יָשׁ֥וּבוּ  let  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אִישׁ־  each 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לְבֵית֖וֹ  to  his  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
בְּשָׁלֽוֹם  in  peace 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלֹום  
Sense: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace.