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 the number agrees with them, see (
1 Kings
18:19 )
and said unto them, shall I go against Ramothgilead to
battle, or
shall I forbear?
which would you advise to? signifying he should take their
advice:
and they said, go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into
the hand of
the king:
which words are very ambiguous, like the oracles of the Heathens;
for they do not express who or what should be delivered up, for
the word it is a supplement, nor to what king the delivery should
be made; whether the Syrians, and the place they held should be
given up to king Ahab, which they would have understood; or
whether the Israelites should be delivered up to king Benhadad;
so that, whichever had been the case, the credit of their
prophecy would be secured. They used the word "Lord", and not
Baal, in complaisance to Jehoshaphat, and perhaps as directed by
Ahab.