Then the king of Israel called an officer ,.... An eunuch, as the word is sometimes used, one of pages: and said, hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah ; who, as it seems from 1 Kings 22:26 was in prison, where perhaps Ahab had cast him for his last prophecy to him, and where he had lain ever since; and this gives a reason why he could so readily send for him, knowing where he was. read more
The king of Israel called an officer - סריס saris , literally a eunuch; probably a foreigner, for it was not lawful to disgrace an Israelite by reducing him to such a state. 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
Then the king of Israel caned an officer [Heb. one eunuch . So the LXX ; εὐνοῦχον ἕνα . So that Samuel's forebodings have been realized Probably, like Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian ( Jeremiah 38:7 ), he was a foreigner; possibly a prisoner of war (Herod. 3:49; 6:32). Deuteronomy 23:1 suggests that even such a king as Ahab would hardly inflict this humiliation upon an Israelite. From 1 Chronicles 28:1 , Hebrews, we gather that even David's court had its eunuchs, and we... read more
The False and the True. There would be no counterfeit coin if there were no sterling; so neither would there be false prophets if there were no true. Because there are both, their qualities have to be tested, that we may refuse the spurious and value the genuine (see Jeremiah 23:38 ). To this end let us consider— I. TESTS WHICH MAY NOT BE TRUSTED . 1 . The test of profession . (a) They used modes usual with prophets to procure information from Heaven. These were... read more
An officer - More properly, as in the margin, “a eunuch.” Eunuchs seem to have been first introduced among the Israelites by David (1 Chronicles 28:1 note). They were a natural accompaniment of the seraglio of Solomon. The present passage is the first which shows that, after the separation of the kingdom, the kings of Israel employed them (compare 2 Kings 8:6; 2 Kings 9:32). read more
1 Kings 22:9-10. Hasten hither Micaiah It seems he had imprisoned him; for, 1 Kings 22:26, he bids the officer carry him back, namely, to the place where he was before. Probably this was he that had reproved him for letting Ben-hadad go, 1 Kings 20:42: and for that, had lain in prison three years. But this did not make him less confident, or less faithful in delivering his message. Having put on their robes Their royal robes and ensigns of majesty. In a void place In the place of... read more
Ahab and Jehoshaphat (22:1-40)Three years after making his peace agreement with King Ben-hadad of Syria, Ahab broke it. He saw the chance to retake the border town of Ramoth-gilead, and persuaded Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to help him (22:1-4). (Jehoshaphat had previously made an alliance with Ahab by having his son Jehoram marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah; 2 Kings 8:16-18,2 Kings 8:25-26; 2 Chronicles 18:1; 2 Chronicles 18:1.) The professional prophets in Ahab’s court were more concerned with... 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