1 Kings 22:8-28

8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." But Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah."

10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and ¹all the prophets were prophesying before them.

11 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made ²horns of iron for himself and said, "Thus says the LORD, '³With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.' "

12 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."

Micaiah Predicts Defeat

13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly * favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably."

14 But Micaiah said, "⁴As the LORD lives, what * ⁵the LORD says to me, that I shall speak."

15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?" And he answered him, "⁶Go up and succeed, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."

16 Then the king said to him, "How * many * times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

17 So he said, "I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, ⁷Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.' "

18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "⁸Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"

19 Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. ⁹I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and ¹⁰all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

20 "The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.

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

22 "The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and ¹¹be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.'

23 "Now therefore, behold, ¹²the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."

24 Then ¹³Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, "¹⁴How * did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"

25 Micaiah said, "Behold, you shall see on that day when you ¹⁵enter an inner room to hide yourself."

26 Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son;

27 and say, 'Thus says the king, "¹⁶Put this man in prison * and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.""'

28 Micaiah said, "¹⁷If you indeed return safely the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "¹⁸Listen, all you people."

1 Kings 22:8-28 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. 1 Kings 22:6
• 2. Zechariah 1:18-21
• 3. Deuteronomy 33:17
• 4. 1 Kings 18:10, 15
• 5. Numbers 22:18; Numbers 24:13
• 6. 1 Kings 22:12
• 7. Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:34-36; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34
• 8. 1 Kings 22:8
• 9. Isaiah 6:1; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Daniel 7:9, 10
• 10. Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Psalms 103:20, 21; Daniel 7:10; Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:7, 14
• 11. Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; Ezekiel 14:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:11
• 12. Ezekiel 14:9
• 13. 1 Kings 22:11; Matthew 5:39; Acts 23:2, 3
• 14. 2 Chronicles 18:23
• 15. 1 Kings 20:30
• 16. 2 Chronicles 16:10; 2 Chronicles 18:25-27
• 17. Deuteronomy 18:22
• 18. Micah 1:2

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "Hasten Micaiah"
• [b]. Lit "said to"
• [c]. Lit "he"
• [d]. Lit "with bread of affliction and water of affliction"