1 Kings 22:19-23

19 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that.

21 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’

22 “ ‘By what means?’ the LORD asked. “ ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. “ ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

23 “So now the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.”

1 Kings 22:19-23 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. Psalms 47:8; Isaiah 6:1; Isaiah 63:15; Ezekiel 1:26; Daniel 7:9
• 2. Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Job 15:8; Job 38:7; Psalms 103:20-21; Psalms 148:2; Jeremiah 23:18,22; Lk Job 2:13; Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:7,14
• 3. S Judges 9:23; 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; Ezekiel 14:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:11
• 4. S Deuteronomy 13:3
• 5. Ezekiel 14:9
• 6. S Deuteronomy 31:29