1 Kings 22:17

17 And he said: I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd; and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.

1 Kings 22:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:17

And he said
The prophet, in a serious and solemn manner, being adjured by the king:

I saw all Israel scattered on the hills, as sheep that have not a
shepherd;
the armies of Israel routed, dispersed, and fleeing, some one way and some another, on the mountains of Gilead near Ramoth, weak and helpless, not knowing where to go for safety, having none to direct them; and this was either now instantly represented to his mind, or what had been before in a dream or vision:

and the Lord said, these have no master;
these sheep have no shepherd this army hath no general,

[Israel] has [lost its king]: let them return every man to his house
in peace,
very few slain, Jarchi thinks Ahab only, see ( 1 Kings 22:31 ) that part of the threatening, ( 1 Kings 20:42 ) was now to he accomplished, "thy life shall go for his life", but the other part, "and thy people for his people", was to be deferred to another time.

1 Kings 22:17 In-Context

15 So he came to the king, and the king said to him: Micheas, shall we go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall we forbear? He answered him: Go up, and prosper, and the Lord shall deliver it into the king’s hands.

16 But the king said to him: I adjure thee again and again, that thou tell me nothing but that which is true, in the name of the Lord.

17 And he said: I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd; and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.

18 (Then the king of Israel said to Josaphat: Did I not tell thee, that he prophesieth no good to me, but always evil?)

19 And he added and said: Hear thou, therefore, the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on the right hand and on the left: