55 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter finishes the history of Ahab's reign. It was promised in the close of the foregoing chapter that the ruin of his house should not come in his days, but his days were soon at an end. His war with the Syrians at Ramoth-Gilead is that which we have an account of in this chapter. I. His preparations for that war. He consulted, 1. His...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 miles (m); 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,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
(And the king of Israel said unto his servants,.... His nobles, those of his privy council, his ministers of state; or "had said" (n), 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Ver. 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead?.... 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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 comments on 1 Kings 22:6].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him,.... By the way, as they came along together, as Josephus (p) 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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...