1 Kings 22:29-40

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. ¹

30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”

32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around ^[a] and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.

36 As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.

38 And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, ^[b] and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken. ^[c]

39 As for the rest of the acts of Ahab, along with all his accomplishments and the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

40 And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.

1 Kings 22:29-40 Meaning and Commentary

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, 1Ki 22:1-4, but before they went into it, they took advice, Ahab of his four hundred prophets, which Jehoshaphat not being satisfied with, a true prophet of the Lord, Micahah, was sent for, 1Ki 22:5-14 who, when he came, jeered Ahab with what his prophets had said to him; intimated that he should be killed, and explained it to him how he came to be deceived by his prophets, 1Ki 22:15-23 upon which he was smitten on the cheek by Zedekiah, one of the false prophets, and imprisoned by the order of Ahab, 1Ki 22:24-28, after which the two kings went to the battle, and Jehoshaphat was in great danger of his life; but Ahab was wounded, and died, 1Ki 22:29-40, and the chapter is concluded with an account of the reign of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 1Ki 22:41-50, and of Ahaziah king of Israel, 1Ki 22:51-53.

Cross References

• 1. (2 Chronicles 18:28–34)

Footnotes

• [a] Literally Turn your hand
• [b] Or the pool of Samaria, where they cleaned the weapons
• [c] See 1 Kings 21:19.