1 Kings 22:1-9

1 For three years there was no war between Aram and Isra'el.

2 Then, in the third year, Y'hoshafat the king of Y'hudah came down to the king of Isra'el.

3 The king of Isra'el said to his servants, "Are you aware that Ramot-Gil'ad belongs to us; yet, we're doing nothing to recover it from the king of Aram?"

4 He said to Y'hoshafat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramot-Gil'ad?" Y'hoshafat answered the king of Isra'el, "I'm with you all the way; think of my troops and horses as yours."

5 But Y'hoshafat said to the king of Isra'el, "First, we should seek the word of ADONAI."

6 So the king of Isra'el assembled the prophets, about 400 men. "Should I attack Ramot-Gil'ad?" he asked them, "Or should I hold off?" They said, "Attack! Adonai will hand it over to the king."

7 But Y'hoshafat said, "Besides these, isn't there a prophet of ADONAI here that we can consult?"

8 The king of Isra'el said to Y'hoshafat, "Yes, there is still one man through whom we can consult ADONAI, Mikhay'hu the son of Yimlah; but I hate him, because he doesn't prophesy good things for me, but bad!" Y'hoshafat replied, "The king shouldn't say such a thing."

9 Then the king of Isra'el called an officer and said, "Quickly! Bring Mikhay'hu the son of Yimlah."

1 Kings 22:1-9 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.