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1 And they continued three yeeres without warre betweene Syria and Israel.
2 And it came to passe on the third yere, that Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah came downe to the king of Israel.
3 (And the king of Israel said vnto his seruants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and wee be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?)
4 And hee said vnto Iehoshaphat, Wilt thou goe with me to battel to Ramoth Gilead? And Iehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5 And Iehoshaphat said vnto 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 foure hundred men, and said vnto them, Shall I goe against Ramoth Gilead to battell, or shall I forbeare? And they said, Goe vp, for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the king.
7 And Iehoshaphat said, Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
8 And the king of Israel said vnto Iehoshaphat, There is yet one man, (Micaiah the sonne of Imlah) by whom we may enquire of the Lord; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesie good concerning me, but euill. And Iehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so.
9 Then the king of Israel called an Officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the sonne of Imlah.
10 And the King of Israel and Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah sate each on his throne, hauing put on their robes, in a voyd place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the Prophets prophecied before them.
11 And Zedekiah the sonne of Chenaanah made him hornes of yron: and he sayd, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, vntill thou haue consumed them.
12 And all the Prophets prophecied so, saying; Goe vp to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the kings hand.
13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah, spake vnto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good vnto the King with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, bee like the word of one of them, and speake that which is good.
14 And Micaiah sayde, As the Lord liueth, what the Lord saith vnto me, that will I speake.
15 ¶ So he came to the king, and the king sayd vnto him, Micaiah, shall wee goe against Ramoth Gilead to battell, or shall we forbeare? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the king.
16 And the king said vnto him, How many times shall I adiure thee, that thou tell me nothing but that which is true, in the Name of the Lord ?
17 And hee sayd, I saw all Israel scattered vpon the hilles, as sheepe that haue not a shepheard. And the Lord said, These haue no master, let them returne euery man to his house in peace.
18 And the King of Israel said vnto Iehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would prophecie no good concerning me, but euill?
19 And he said, Heare thou therefore the word of the Lord: I sawe the Lord sitting on his Throne, and all the hoste of heauen standing by him, on his right hand and on his left.
20 And the Lord said, Who shall perswade Ahab, that hee may goe vp and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one sayd 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 perswade him.
22 And the Lord said vnto him, Wherewith? And hee sayd, I will goe foorth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt perswade him, and preuaile also: Goe forth, and doe so.
23 Now therfore behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken euill concerning thee.
24 But Zedekiah the sonne of Chenaanah went neere, and smote Micaiah on the cheeke, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to speake vnto thee?
25 And Micaiah sayde, Beholde, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt goe into an inner chamber, to hide thy selfe.
26 And the King of Israel sayde, Take Micaiah, and cary him backe vnto Amon the gouernour of the citie, and to Ioash the kings sonne:
27 And say, Thus sayth the King, Put this fellow in the prison, and feede him with bread of affliction, and with water of afflictiō, vntil I come in peace.
28 And Micaiah saide, If thou returne at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, euery one of you.
29 So the King of Israel, and Iehoshaphat the king of Iudah, went vp to Ramoth Gilead.
30 And the king of Israel said vnto Iehoshaphat, I wil disguise my selfe, & enter into the battell, but put thou on thy robes. And the King of Israel disguised himselfe, & went into the battell.
31 But the King of Syria commanded his thirtie and two Captaines that had rule ouer his charets, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, saue only with the king of Israel.
32 And it came to passe, when the captaines of the charets saw Iehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Iehoshaphat cryed out.
33 And it came to passe, when the captaines of the charets perceiued that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned backe from pursuing him.
34 And a certaine man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel betweene the ioynts of the harnesse: wherefore hee sayd vnto the driuer of his charet, Turne thine hand, and cary me out of the hoste, for I am wounded.
35 And the battell increased that day: and the king was stayed vp in his charet against the Syrians, and died at euen: and the blood ranne out of the wound, into the mids of the charet.
36 And there went a proclamation throughout the hoste, about the going downe of the Sunne, saying, Euery man to his citie, and euery man to his owne countrey.
37 ¶ So the King died, and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 And one washed the charet in the poole of Samaria, and the dogges licked vp his blood, and they washed his armour, according vnto the word of the Lord which he spake.
39 Now the rest of the actes of Ahab, and all that he did, and the Iuory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his sonne reigned in his stead.
41 ¶ And Iehoshaphat the sonne of Asa began to reigne ouer Iudah in the fourth yeere of Ahab King of Israel.
42 Iehoshaphat was thirtie and fiue yeeres olde when hee began to reigne, and he reigned twentie and fiue yeeres in Ierusalem: and his mothers name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43 And he walked in all the wayes of Asa his father, hee turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord: neuerthelesse, the high places were not taken away: for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44 And Iehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the actes of Iehoshaphat, and his might that hee shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kings of Iudah?
46 And the remnant of the Sodomites which remained in the dayes of his father Asa, he tooke out of the land.
47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputie was king.
48 Iehoshaphat made shippes of Tharshish to goe to Ophir for golde: but they went not, for the shippes were broken at Ezion Geber.
49 Then said Ahaziah the sonne of Ahab vnto Iehoshaphat, Let my seruants goe with thy seruants in the ships: But Iehoshaphat would not.
50 ¶ And Iehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the citie of Dauid his father: and Iehoram his sonne reigned in his stead.
51 ¶ Ahaziah the sonne of Ahab began to reigne ouer Israel in Samaria the seuenteenth yeere of Iehoshaphat king of Iudah, and reigned two yeres ouer Israel.
52 And he did euill 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 Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, who made Israel to sinne.
53 For he serued Baal, and worshipped him, and prouoked to anger the Lord God of Israel, according vnto all that his father had done.
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Commentary for 1 Kings 22
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The Death of Ahab
Jehoshaphat makes a league with Ahab. (1-14) Micaiah predicts the death of Ahab. (15-28) Death of Ahab. (29-40) Jehoshaphat's good reign over Judah. (41-50) Ahaziah's evil reign over Israel. (51-53)1-14 The same easiness of temper, which betrays some godly persons into friendship with the declared enemies of religion, renders it very dangerous to them. They will be drawn to wink at and countenance such conduct and conversation as they ought to protest against with abhorrence. Whithersoever a good man goes, he ought to take his religion with him, and not be ashamed to own it when he is with those who have no regard for it. Jehoshaphat had not left behind him, at Jerusalem, his affection and reverence for the word of the Lord, but avowed it, and endeavoured to bring it into Ahab's court. And Ahab's prophets, to please Jehoshaphat, made use of the name of Jehovah: to please Ahab, they said, Go up. But the false prophets cannot so mimic the true, but that he who has spiritual senses exercised, can discern the fallacy. One faithful prophet of the Lord was worth them all. Wordly men have in all ages been alike absurd in their views of religion. They would have the preacher fit his doctrine to the fashion of the times, and the taste of the hearers, and yet to add. Thus saith the Lord, to words that men would put into their mouths. They are ready to cry out against a man as rude and foolish, who scruples thus to try to secure his own interests, and to deceive others.
15-28 The greatest kindness we can do to one that is going in a dangerous way, is, to tell him of his danger. To leave the hardened criminal without excuse, and to give a useful lesson to others, Micaiah related his vision. This matter is represented after the manner of men: we are not to imagine that God is ever put upon new counsels; or that he needs to consult with angels, or any creature, about the methods he should take; or that he is the author of sin, or the cause of any man's telling or believing a lie. Micaiah returned not the blow of Zedekiah, yet, since he boasted of the Spirit, as those commonly do that know least of the Holy Spirit's operations, the true prophet left him to be convinced of his error by the event. Those that will not have their mistakes set right in time, by the word of God, will be undeceived, when it is too late, by the judgments of God. We should be ashamed of what we call trials, were we to consider what the servants of God have endured. Yet it will be well, if freedom from trouble prove not more hurtful to us; we are more easily allured and bribed into unfaithfulness and conformity to the world, than driven to them.
29-40 Ahab basely intended to betray Johoshaphat to danger, that he might secure himself. See what they get that join with wicked men. How can it be expected that he should be true to his friend, who has been false to his God! He had said in compliment to Ahab, I am as thou art, and now he was indeed taken for him. Those that associate with evil-doers, are in danger of sharing in their plagues. By Jehoshaphat's deliverance, God let him know, that though he was displeased with him, yet he had not deserted him. God is a friend that will not fail us when other friends do. Let no man think to hide himself from God's judgment. God directed the arrow to hit Ahab; those cannot escape with life, whom God has doomed to death. Ahab lived long enough to see part of Micaiah's prophecy accomplished. He had time to feel himself die; with what horror must he have thought upon the wickedness he had committed!
41-50 Jehoshaphat's reign appears to have been one of the best, both as to piety and prosperity. He pleased God, and God blessed him.
51-53 Ahaziah's reign was very short, not two years; some sinners God makes quick work with. A very bad character is given of him; he listened not to instruction, took no warning, but followed the example of his wicked father, and the counsel of his more wicked mother, Jezebel, who was still living. Miserable are the children who not only derive a sinful nature from their parents, but are taught by them to increase it; and most unhappy parents are they, that help to damn their children's souls. Hardened sinners rush forward, unawed and unmoved, in the ways from which others before them have been driven into everlasting misery.
Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.