1 Kings 22:19-23

19 And Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: ¹I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, ²and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left;

20 and the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said one thing, and another said another.

21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, 'I will entice him.'

22 And the LORD said to him, 'By what means?' And he said, 'I will go out, and will be ³a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, 'You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.'

23 Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you."

1 Kings 22:19-23 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. Isaiah 6:1; Daniel 7:9; Revelation 4:2
• 2. [Deuteronomy 33:2; Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Psalms 103:21; Daniel 7:10; Hebrews 12:22]
• 3. [Judges 9:23; Ezekiel 14:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:11]