CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
1 Kings 22
Chapter 22 of 22
Chapter Overview
What happens in 1 Kings 22
King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat of Judah go to war against Aram. Despite a true prophet's warning of defeat, Ahab goes to battle in disguise and is killed by a random arrow. The chapter ends with summaries of Jehoshaphat's reign in Judah and Ahaziah's reign in Israel.
Scripture
1 Kings 22
Ahab and Jehoshaphat Plan for War
Study note
After three years of peace, Ahab wanted to recapture Ramoth-gilead from Aram. He invited Jehoshaphat king of Judah to join him. Jehoshaphat agreed but asked that they first seek the Lord's guidance. Ahab gathered four hundred prophets who all said, 'Go and win.' But Jehoshaphat sensed something was off and asked if there was another prophet. Ahab reluctantly mentioned Micaiah son of Imlah, complaining that Micaiah never prophesied anything good.
1 Three years went by without any fighting between Aram and Israel. And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2 In the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah paid a visit to the king of Israel. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 The king of Israel remarked to his officials, "You realize that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, right? And yet we have done nothing to reclaim it from the king of Aram." And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 He asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you join me in attacking Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered, "Certainly. I am with you all the way. My troops are your troops. My horses are your horses." And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5 But Jehoshaphat added, "Before we do anything, let us first seek the Lord's direction." And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
6 The king of Israel rounded up about 400 prophets and asked, "Should I attack Ramoth-gilead, or not?" They all answered, "Attack! The Lord will hand it over to you." Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 Jehoshaphat was not satisfied. "Is there not one more prophet of the Lord we could consult?" he asked. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
8 The king of Israel admitted, "There is one more -- Micaiah son of Imlah. But I cannot stand him because he never has anything positive to predict about me, only trouble." Jehoshaphat said, "You should not say that about a prophet." And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 The king of Israel called for a servant and ordered, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah here right away." Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah sat on their thrones in full royal attire at the threshing floor near Samaria's gate. All 400 prophets were performing before them. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11 Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made a set of iron horns. He said, "The Lord says, 'With these you will push the Arameans back until they are done for!'" And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12 The rest of the prophets echoed the same message: "March against Ramoth-gilead and win! The Lord will hand it right over to you." And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
Micaiah's True Prophecy
Study note
When brought before the kings, Micaiah initially gave a sarcastic answer echoing the false prophets. When pressed for the truth, he described a vision of Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd, meaning Ahab would die. Micaiah then revealed that God had allowed a lying spirit to deceive all of Ahab's prophets. Zedekiah, one of the false prophets, struck Micaiah. Ahab had Micaiah thrown in prison on rations of bread and water.
13 The servant sent to get Micaiah warned him, "All the other prophets are unanimously predicting success for the king. Please agree with them and say something positive." And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
14 Micaiah replied, "I swear by the living Lord, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say." And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
15 When Micaiah arrived before the king, the king asked, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth-gilead or not?" Micaiah answered sarcastically, "Of course! Attack and win! The Lord will hand it right over to you." So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16 The king snapped, "How many times do I have to make you swear to tell me only the truth in the Lord's name?" And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
17 So Micaiah told the truth: "I saw all of Israel scattered across the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These people have no leader. Let each one go home in peace.'" And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18 The king of Israel turned to Jehoshaphat and said, "See? I told you he never predicts anything good for me. It is always bad news." And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19 Micaiah continued: "Then listen to the Lord's message. I saw the Lord seated on his throne with the entire heavenly army standing around him on his right and left." And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 "The Lord asked, 'Who will trick Ahab into marching against Ramoth-gilead so he gets killed there?' Various spirits offered different ideas." And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 "Finally, one spirit stepped forward before the Lord and volunteered, 'I will trick him.'" And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22 "'How will you do it?' the Lord asked. The spirit answered, 'I will go and fill the mouths of all his prophets with lies.' The Lord said, 'That will work. Go do it.'" 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 "So you see -- the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has planned disaster for you." 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 At that, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah walked up and slapped Micaiah across the face. "Tell me," he sneered, "which way did the Lord's Spirit go when it left me to talk to you?" 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 Micaiah answered, "You will find out the day you run and hide in an inner room." And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26 The king of Israel ordered, "Arrest Micaiah! Hand him over to Amon the city governor and Prince Joash." 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 "Tell them I said: 'Lock this man up and feed him nothing but bread and water until I come back safely.'" 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 Micaiah announced, "If you come back safely, the Lord never spoke through me." Then he called out to everyone nearby, "Pay attention, all of you!" 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.
Ahab's Death in Battle
Study note
Ahab disguised himself for battle while Jehoshaphat wore his royal robes. The king of Aram had ordered his soldiers to target only the king of Israel. They initially chased Jehoshaphat, thinking he was Ahab, but realized their mistake. Then a random arrow struck Ahab between the joints of his armor. He was propped up in his chariot all day and died that evening. His blood pooled in the chariot, and when it was washed at the pool of Samaria, dogs licked up his blood, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy.
29 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah marched together against Ramoth-gilead. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "I will dress in disguise and go into the fight, but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. 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 The king of Aram told his 32 chariot leaders, "Do not fight anyone else. Go after only Israel's king." But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32 When the chariot commanders spotted Jehoshaphat in his royal outfit, they thought, "That must be the king of Israel!" They surrounded him to attack, but Jehoshaphat shouted out. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they broke off the pursuit. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34 But a random soldier pulled back his bow and let an arrow fly without aiming at anyone in particular. The arrow hit the king of Israel in a gap between his armor plates. Ahab told his chariot driver, "Get me out of the battle -- I am wounded." And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35 The fighting intensified throughout the day. The king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Aramean army, while his blood pooled in the bottom of the chariot. He died that evening. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36 As the sun was going down, a cry rang through the ranks: "Every man to his own city! Every man to his own land!" And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
37 The king was dead. His body was brought to Samaria and buried there. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 When they washed out his chariot at the pool in Samaria, dogs came and licked up Ahab's blood -- just as the Lord had declared. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
39 Everything else about Ahab's reign is recorded in the official records of Israel's kings. This includes his deeds, the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he constructed. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 When Ahab died, his son Ahaziah took his place as king. So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
Study note
Jehoshaphat was a good king who reigned twenty-five years in Judah. He followed the ways of his father Asa and did what was right, though the high places were not removed. He made peace with Israel. He tried to build trading ships but they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab of Israel. And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and ruled for twenty-five years from Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43 He followed the same path as his father Asa without swerving from it. He did what the Lord approved. However, the hilltop worship sites were never removed, and people continued offering sacrifices and burning incense there. And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44 Jehoshaphat maintained peaceful relations with the king of Israel. And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 All else about Jehoshaphat and his wars is in the records of Judah's kings. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 He cleared out the remaining male shrine prostitutes that had survived from his father Asa's time. And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
47 Edom had no king at that time; a governor ruled the territory. There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48 Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Ophir for gold, but the ships were destroyed at Ezion-geber and never sailed. Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.
49 Ahaziah son of Ahab then offered, "Let my sailors join yours in the fleet." But Jehoshaphat refused. Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jehoram became king after him. And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
Ahaziah King of Israel
Study note
Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel and reigned two years. He did evil, following the ways of his father, his mother Jezebel, and Jeroboam. He served and worshipped Baal and provoked the Lord to anger, just as his father had done.
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria during King Jehoshaphat's seventeenth year. He ruled Israel for two years. Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52 He did what the Lord considered evil. He followed the ways of his father Ahab, his mother Jezebel, and Jeroboam son of Nebat, the king who had first led Israel into sin. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53 He worshiped and served Baal, making the Lord, the God of Israel, just as angry as his father had done. For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
Key Themes
Themes in 1 Kings 22
The danger of surrounding yourself with yes-menTrue prophets tell the truth regardless of consequencesGod's sovereign purposes cannot be avoided by human schemesThe contrast between faithful and unfaithful leadership
Apply This Today
Living 1 Kings 22
Ahab surrounded himself with prophets who told him what he wanted to hear and rejected the one prophet who told the truth. We all need people in our lives who will be honest with us, even when the truth is uncomfortable. Seeking only validation instead of truth leads to disaster.
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