1 Kings 22:1-14

Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab

1 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.

2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel.

3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?”

4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the LORD.”

6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?”

8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.

9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

10 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.

11 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ”

12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.”

13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”

14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.”

1 Kings 22:1-14 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. S Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 21:38
• 2. 2 Kings 3:7
• 3. Exodus 33:7; 2 Kings 3:11; Job 38:2; Psalms 32:8; Psalms 73:24; Psalms 107:11
• 4. S Judges 18:6; 1 Kings 18:19
• 5. S 1 Kings 13:18
• 6. Deuteronomy 18:15; 2 Kings 3:11; 2 Kings 5:8
• 7. S Numbers 27:21; 2 Kings 3:11
• 8. Amos 5:10
• 9. ver 13; Isaiah 5:20; Isaiah 30:10; Jeremiah 23:17
• 10. ver 6; S Judges 6:37
• 11. ver 24
• 12. Deuteronomy 33:17; Jeremiah 27:2; Jeremiah 28:10; Zechariah 1:18-21
• 13. S ver 8
• 14. S Numbers 22:18; Numbers 24:13; S 1 Samuel 3:17; 1 Kings 18:10,15