1 Kings 22:21

21 "Then the Spirit stepped forward, stood in front of the LORD, and said, 'I will deceive him.' "'How?' the LORD asked.

1 Kings 22:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:21

And there came forth a spirit
Not from the heavenly host on the right hand or the left, for they are pure and holy spirits, and impeccable, and cannot lie or deceive; but the evil spirit, Satan, the father of lies, the old deceiver, who came forth from his own place and his own company:

and stood before the Lord
presented himself before him, as Satan did, ( Job 1:6 ) ,

and said, l will persuade him;
or prevail upon him; evil spirits love to be employed in doing harm to men, they go about seeking whom they may devour. This could not be the spirit of Naboth, as the Jews say {q}, seeking revenge on Ahab; that was in a state of happiness, could not move from thence, and be capable of sinning.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 89. 1. & 102. 2. Targum in 2 Chron. xviii. 20.

1 Kings 22:21 In-Context

19 Micaiah added, "Then hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing near him on his right and his left.

20 The LORD asked, 'Who will deceive Ahab so that he will attack and be killed at Ramoth in Gilead?' Some answered one way, while others said something else.

21 "Then the Spirit stepped forward, stood in front of the LORD, and said, 'I will deceive him.' "'How?' the LORD asked.

22 "The Spirit answered, 'I will go out and be a spirit that tells lies through the mouths of all of Ahab's prophets.' "The LORD said, 'You will succeed in deceiving him. Go and do it.'

23 "So, the LORD has put into the mouths of all these prophets of yours a spirit that makes them tell lies. The LORD has spoken evil about you."