1 Kings 22:5-28

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:13

And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him ,.... By the way, as they came along together, as Josephus F16 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 15. sect. 4. observes: behold, now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth ; they are unanimous that he shall prosper in his undertaking against the Syrians: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good ; which, as an ignorant man, he might advise to from good will... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:14

And Micaiah said, as the Lord liveth ,.... He swore by the living God, for the confirmation of what he was about to say: what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak ; truly and faithfully, keeping nothing back, nor adding anything, whether it be good or evil, pleasing or displeasing; it looks as if as yet he had no instruction from the Lord what to say, and yet the vision he later declares seems to have been had by him before, 1 Kings 22:17 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:15

So he came to the king ,.... Being introduced by the officer: and the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go up against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? the same question in the same words that was put to the other prophets, 1 Kings 22:6 , only there he uses the singular number, here the plural, including Jehoshaphat with him: and he answered him, go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king ; he answered not in the name of the Lord,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:16

And the king said unto him, how many times shall I adjure thee ,.... Not that he had as yet adjured him at all, or not till now; but he asks him how often he must be obliged to do it; and now he adjures him once for all, that he might not be forced to repeat it: that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord ? for he observed he did not speak in the name of the Lord before, and what he said was not in a serious but ludicrous manner, and not to be regarded as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:18

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat ,.... Plainly perceiving that the prophet foretold that he should fall in battle: did not I tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil ? intimating that this proceeded from spite and malice, from ill will to him and hatred of him, and was not from the Lord, and therefore not to be regarded; he had told him three years ago his life should go for letting Benhadad go; but it had not proved true, and no more would this; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:19

And he saith, hear thou therefore the word of the Lord ,.... Since he had represented what he had said as proceeding from hatred to him, he would make it clear and plain that what he had said was the word of the Lord, and according to his mind; and that what the other prophets had said was owing to a lying spirit in them, which the Lord suffered for his ruin; all which are represented as in a vision, in which things are brought down to the capacities of men, and not as really transacted: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:20

And the Lord said, who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead ?.... Not that it can be supposed that the Lord entered into a consultation with the angels upon this subject; only that it was the decree of God that he should go thither, and fall by the hand of the man whom he had let go, as a just punishment of him: and one said on this manner, and another said on that manner ; not that there was such an altercation among them; it only signifies, that there are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:21

And there came forth a spirit ,.... Not from the heavenly host on the right hand or the left, for they are pure and holy spirits, and impeccable, and cannot lie or deceive; but the evil spirit, Satan, the father of lies, the old deceiver, who came forth from his own place and his own company: and stood before the Lord presented himself before him, as Satan did, Job 1:6 , and said, l will persuade him ; or prevail upon him; evil spirits love to be employed in doing harm to men, they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 22:22

And the Lord said unto him, wherewith ?.... What way and method did he propose, to persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth? the Lord is introduced in this visionary narrative as asking this question, not as ignorant of the scheme of the evil spirit, but in order to bring it out, and lead on to the following account: and he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets ; put them on encouraging Ahab to go up, and promising him success, as he had in former... read more

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