And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord today. Being a pious and religious prince, he did not choose to go into a war at once, without consulting the Lord by his prophets, whether it was his will and pleasure they should engage in it, and should prosper; and he was desirous of having this done immediately, before they proceeded any further. read more
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men ,.... False prophets, as the Targum and Arabic version; and they are called Ahab's prophets, and not the Lord's, 1 Kings 22:23 perhaps these were the prophets of the groves, that ate at Jezebel's table, and were preserved when the prophets of Baal were destroyed, since the number agrees with them, see 1 Kings 18:19 . and said unto them, shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear ? which... read more
About four hundred men - These were probably the prophets of Asherah or Venus, maintained by Jezebel, who were not present at the contention on Mount Carmel. See 1 Kings 18:19 , etc. read more
Bad Company. According to the order of the chapters in the LXX ; which is probably the original or true order, 1 Kings 20:1-43 . should immediately precede this. Then, after the history of the war between Ahab and Ben-hadad, this chapter opens naturally: "And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel." In the third year of this peace Jehoshaphat visited Ahab; and from this visit arose serious events, which are admonitory to us that we should avoid the company of... read more
Crime brings its own punishment. I. THE WICKED RUSH UPON DESTRUCTION . 1 . Ahab provokes the war in which he himself will perish . The peace which had lasted so long might have continued. Every day it was prolonged was a day placed between him and death; and yet with his own hand he brings to an end the period of grace. How often are the calamities of the wicked invoked by themselves, and are the fruit of their own rashness! 2 . It came as the prompting of the... read more
The Death of Ahab and the Defeat of Israel. This chapter is almost entirely occupied with an account of the death of Ahab, and of the circumstances which preceded and attended it. The earlier portion of the chapter, which contains the prophesyings of the false prophets and the vision of Micaiah, is only recorded because of its bearing on the death of the king, and the dispersion of his army. And the prominence accorded to Ahab's end only corresponds with the space assigned to his... read more
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at [This word is redundant] the word of the Lord today . [ כַּיוֹם hardly conveys that "he asks to have the prophets called in at once," "lest Ahab should consent in word and put off the inquiry in act" (Rawlinson); but rather means, "at this crisis," "under these circumstances." This request agrees well with what we learn elsewhere as to Jehoshaphat's piety ( 2 Chronicles 17:4-9 ; 2 Chronicles 19:5-7 , etc.)... read more
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets [Called by Micaiah "his prophets" ( 1 Kings 22:22 ), and "thy prophets" ( 1 Kings 22:23 )] together, about four hundred men [From the number (cf. 1 Kings 18:19 ) it has been concluded that these were "the prophets of the groves," i.e; of Astarte, who escaped the massacre of the Baal prophets ( 1 Kings 18:40 ). Others have supposed that they were prophets of Baal. But both these suppositions are negatived And yet that they were not... read more
Jehoshaphat, with characteristic piety 1 Kings 22:43 takes advantage of his position as Ahab’s friend and ally, to suggest inquiry of the Lord (Yahweh) before the expedition is undertaken. Lest Ahab should consent in word and put off the inquiry in act, he asks to have the prophets called in at once: “today.” read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 22:1-14
Though Ahab continued under guilt and wrath, and the dominion of the lusts to which he had sold himself, yet, as a reward for his professions of repentance and humiliation, though the time drew near when he should descend into battle and perish, yet we have him blessed with a three years? peace (1 Kgs. 22:1) and an honourable visit made him by Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 1 Kgs. 22:2. The Jews have a fabulous conceit, that when Ahab humbled himself for his sin, and lay in sackcloth, he sent for... read more