Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for Yahweh’s word.”
Parallel Translations
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Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for Yahweh’s word.”
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And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
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And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel: 'Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD today.'
Cross-references (20)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 22:5 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- 2 Chronicles 18:4-5 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for Yahweh’s word.” Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” They said, “Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
- 2 Kings 3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?” One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water on the hands of Elijah, is here.”
- Jeremiah 21:2 “Please inquire of Yahweh for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps Yahweh will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may withdraw from us.”
- Jeremiah 42:2-6 and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to Yahweh your God, even for all this remnant; for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes see us; that Yahweh your God may show us the way in which we should walk, and the things that we should do.” Then Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to Yahweh your God according to your words; and it will happen that whatever thing Yahweh answers you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you.” Then they said to Jeremiah, “May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness among us, if we don’t do according to all the word with which Yahweh your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is good, or whether it is bad, we will obey the voice of Yahweh our God, to whom we send you; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Yahweh our God.”
- Numbers 27:21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before Yahweh. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.”
- Ezekiel 20:1-3 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I will not be inquired of by you.” ’
- Joshua 9:14 The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth.
- Judges 1:1 After the death of Joshua, the children of Israel asked of Yahweh, saying, “Who should go up for us first against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”
- Judges 20:18 The children of Israel arose, went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God. They asked, “Who shall go up for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin?” Yahweh said, “Judah first.”
- Judges 20:23 The children of Israel went up and wept before Yahweh until evening; and they asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I again draw near to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother?” Yahweh said, “Go up against him.”
- Judges 20:29 Israel set ambushes all around Gibeah.
- 1 Samuel 14:18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring God’s ark here.” For God’s ark was with the children of Israel at that time.
- 1 Samuel 23:2 Therefore David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go and strike these Philistines?” Yahweh said to David, “Go strike the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
- 1 Samuel 23:4 Then David inquired of Yahweh yet again. Yahweh answered him, and said, “Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
- 1 Samuel 23:9-12 David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” Then David said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Yahweh, the God of Israel, I beg you, tell your servant.” Yahweh said, “He will come down.” Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?” Yahweh said, “They will deliver you up.”
- 1 Samuel 30:8 David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue; for you will surely overtake them, and will without fail recover all.”
- 2 Kings 1:3 But Yahweh’s angel said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron?
- 1 Chronicles 10:13 So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against Yahweh, because of Yahweh’s word, which he didn’t keep; and also because he asked counsel of one who had a familiar spirit, to inquire,
- Ezekiel 14:3 “Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain He seemed that he would not go to the…
He seemed that he would not go to the war, except God reproved it, yet when Micaiah counseled the contrary, he would not obey.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of…
1Ki 22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
Ver. 5. Inquire, I pray thee.] Ahab never thought of this, belike. God was not in all his thoughts. {Psa 10:4} And yet Scipio went first to the capitol, and then to the senate. {a} And the Romans called a sacrifice hostia ; because, when they went against the enemies, they offered it. {b}
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At the word of the Lord.] Some think that Jehoshaphat, hearing of Ahab’s late humiliation, mistook him for a true convert, and therefore thus bespake him, and thought he might lawfully join with him in so just a war.
Today.] Josephus saith that this was done when the armies were now met, and were ready to march.
{a} Liv., lib. xxvi.
{b} Gel., lib. vii., chap. 1.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain By some prophet; that we may know the mind…
By some prophet; that we may know the mind of God in it, and what success we may expect. This was the practice of the godly. See Jdg 1:1; 20:28; 1Sa 23:2.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet…
And Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? He suspected these to be false prophets, though he would not call them so; nor suggest that they were not the prophets of the Lord, because he would not affront Ahab, who had an opinion of them; and therefore asks, if there were no other that went under the character of a prophet of the Lord, that he might inquire of him for his further satisfaction.
And Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him? He suspected these to be false prophets, though he would not call them so; nor suggest that they were not the prophets of the Lord, because he would not affront Ahab, who had an opinion of them; and therefore asks, if there were no other that went under the character of a prophet of the Lord, that he might inquire of him for his further satisfaction.
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1 Kings 22:8
kg1 22:8
kg1 22:8
kg1 22:8And 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,.... And but one in Samaria; Elijah and Elisha were elsewhere:
but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy of good concerning me, but evil; who is thought to be the same that was several times with him when engaged in the war with the king of Syria, Kg1 20:13 and each time, excepting the last, he brought him good tidings; but because, in his last message, he told him, that, since he had let Benhadad go, his life should go for his life, and his people for his people, for that he hated him:
and Jehoshaphat said, let not the king say so; which was very modestly, though perhaps too gently, said; suggesting that the prophets of the Lord should be heard, respected, and honoured, let their message be as it would, since they spake not of their own mind and will, but what they were moved unto by the Spirit of God.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Inquire - A good man, wherever he goes, will…
Inquire - A good man, wherever he goes, will take God along with him, will acknowledge him in all his ways, and look to him for success. And wherever he goes, he ought to take his religion along with him: and not be ashamed to own it, even among those who have no kindness for it.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ki 22:5. Jehoshaphat said, Inquire, I pray thee, &c.…
1Ki 22:5. Jehoshaphat said, Inquire, I pray thee, &c. — By some prophet; that we may know the mind of God in this matter, and what success we may expect. A good man, wherever he goes, will take God along with him, will acknowledge him in all his ways, and look to him for success: and, wherever he goes, he ought to take his religion along with him; and not be ashamed to own it, even among those who have no kindness for it.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Jehoshaphat, with characteristic piety 1Ki 22:43 takes advantage of…
Jehoshaphat, with characteristic piety 1Ki 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.”
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain One, in concord, (Haydock) and ready to march against…
One, in concord, (Haydock) and ready to march against the same enemy. --- Lord. This was rather late, if (Menochius) the army was already receiving its pay under the walls of Samaria. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] viii. 15.) --- God ought to have been consulted at first. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 5. Jehoshaphat said — The king of Judah shows…
5. Jehoshaphat said — The king of Judah shows a piety superior to that of Ahab. He doubtless knew that Ahab’s former successes against the Syrians were predicted by a prophet of the Lord, (1Ki_20:13; 1Ki_12:28;) and he would seek a like encouragement again.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 5. Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of…
5. Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord] The persuasion has gained from him a promise, but Jehoshaphat would still find out whether the proposed expedition has the sanction of Jehovah. It is clear from his request that he expected to find a true prophet of Jehovah at hand in Israel. The national apostasy cannot therefore have been complete, even in the dark days of Ahab.
to day] The Hebrew word is the same which is found in Gen_25:31; Gen_25:33, where on the margin of R.V. the alternative rendering, ‘first of all,’ is given. This sense is very appropriate both there and here, and will often explain what ‘to day’ in O. Test. diction signifies. Cf. above, 1Ki_1:51.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire,…
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at This word is redundant the word of the Lord today. 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 (2Ch_17:4-9 2Ch_19:5-7, etc.) And, remembering how Ahab"s late victories had been foretold by a prophet, and had been won by the help of Jehovah, Jehoshaphat might well suppose that his new ally would be eager to know the word of the Lord.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the…
1Ki_22:5
Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day.
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Appeal to the prophets in time of crisis
It has been noted, that in ancient Grecian national affairs, when all theories that are called practical break down, it is the once-despised and suspected philosophers that come into strange public importance. If an important embassy to a hostile nation is to be sent, it is to Xenocrates that they entrust it, though the man was never seen in the assembly. If Antigonus wants a safe officer to hold the Accorrinthus, he chooses Perseus the Stoic. When Alexander in his despair at the murder of Clitus sits in dust and ashes, and will not eat or drink, they send two philosophers to bring him to reason. The men whose lives are devoted to thought are now regarded as peace-makers and politicians above the ordinary level.
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 four hundred men
four hundred men
"400 men" (See: Numbers)
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for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king
Here the word "hand" refers to power. AT: "for the Lord will allow the king to capture Ramoth Gilead" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
word of God
prophet
lord
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 22:5-9 In accordance with ancient Near Eastern custom, Jehoshaphat…
22:5-9 In accordance with ancient Near Eastern custom, Jehoshaphat requested that the two kings determine the will of the Lord before going into battle. Examples of this custom are common in Aramean, Moabite, and Assyrian inscriptions as well as in the Old Testament (1 Sam 23:2-4; 2 Sam 5:19-25). Despite Ahab’s misgivings, Jehoshaphat insisted on summoning Micaiah, a genuine prophet of the Lord.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.