1 Kings 22:21-31

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD and said, `I will persuade him.'

22 And the LORD said unto him, `Wherewith?' And he said, `I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And He said, `Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also. Go forth, and do so.'

23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee."

24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek and said, "Which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?"

25 And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself."

26 And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son;

27 and say, `Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction until I come in peace.'"

28 And Micaiah said, "If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me." And he said, "Hearken, O people, every one of you!"

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and enter into the battle, but put thou on thy robes." And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains who had rule over his chariots, saying, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel."

1 Kings 22:21-31 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.