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.”
But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him?”
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.”
Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “Yahweh says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’ ”
All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak good.”
Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, I will say what my God says.”
When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” He said, “Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand.”
The king said to him, “How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in Yahweh’s name?”
He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’ ”
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
Micaiah said, “Therefore hear Yahweh’s word: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that way. A spirit came out, stood before Yahweh, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’
“He said, ‘I will go, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “He said, ‘You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go and do so.’
“Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you.”
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did Yahweh’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?”
Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”
The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; and say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.” ’ ”
Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you people, all of you!”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27 Hear the advice of some Prophet, to know whether…
Hear the advice of some Prophet, to know whether it be God’s will.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv4, 5, 9, 11, 13, 20, 23 2Ch 18:4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of…
2Ch 18:4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
Ver. 4. Inquire, I pray thee, of the Lord today.] Yea, but this should have been done before he had engaged to go. Good Jehoshaphat is oft taxed for being smart too late. Few consider that it is better to stop or step back than to run on out of the way.
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 Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v4 This is almost word for word the same with…
This is almost word for word the same with what we had, 1 Kings 22. We will not repeat what was there said, nor have we much to add, but may take occasion to think, 1. Of the great duty of acknowledging God in all our ways and enquiring at his word, whatever we undertake. Jehoshaphat was not willing to proceed till he had done this, Ch2 18:4. By particular believing prayer, by an unbiased consultation of the scripture and our own consciences, and by an observant regard to the hints of providence, we may make such enquiries and very much to our satisfaction. 2. Of the great danger of bad company even to good men. Those that have more wisdom, grace, and resolution, cannot be sure that they can converse familiarly with wicked people and get no hurt by them. Jehoshaphat here, in complaisance to Ahab, sits in his robes, patiently hearing the false prophets speaking lies in the name of the Lord (Ch2 18:9), can scarcely find in his heart to give him a too mild and gentle reproof for hating a prophet of the Lord (Ch2 18:7), and dares not rebuke that false prophet who basely abused the faithful seer nor oppose Ahab who committed him to prison. Those who venture among the seats of the scornful cannot come off without a great deal of the guilt attaching to at least the omission of their duty, unless they have such measures of wisdom and courage as few can pretend to. 3. Of the unhappiness of those who are surrounded with flatterers, especially flattering prophets, who cry peace to them and prophesy nothing but smooth things. Thus was Ahab cheated into his ruin, and justly; for he hearkened to such, and preferred those that humoured him before a good prophet that gave him fair warning of his danger. Those do best for themselves that give their friends leave, and particularly their ministers, to deal plainly and faithfully with them, and take their reproofs not only patiently, but kindly. That counsel is not always best for us that is most pleasing to us. 4. Of the power of Satan, by the divine permission, in the children of disobedience. One lying spirit can make 400 lying prophets and make use of them to deceive Ahab, Ch2 18:21. The devil becomes a murderer by being a liar and destroys men by deceiving them. 5. Of the justice of God in giving those up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, who will not receive the love of the truth, but rebel against it, Ch2 18:21. Let the lying spirit prevail to entice those to their ruin that will not be persuaded to their duty and happiness. 6. Of the hard case of faithful ministers, whose lot it has often been to be hated, and persecuted, and ill-treated, for being true to their God and just and kind to the souls of men. Micaiah, for discharging a good conscience, was buffeted, imprisoned, and condemned to the bread and water of affliction. But he could with assurance appeal to the issue, as all those may do who are persecuted for their faithfulness, Ch2 18:27. The day will declare who is in the right and who in the wrong, when Christ will appear, to the unspeakable consolation of his persecuted people and the everlasting confusion of their persecutors, who will be made to see in that day (Ch2 18:24) what they will not now believe.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv4, 22, 26 Inquire, &c. - This we should do, whatever we…
Inquire, &c. - This we should do, whatever we undertake, by particular, believing prayer, by an unbiased consulting of the scriptures and our own consciences, and by a close regard to the hints of providence.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv9, 20 Verse 9. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat] "Ahab…
Verse 9. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat] "Ahab consulted false prophets; but Jehoshaphat sought instruction from the presence of the Lord, and prayed at the entering in of Samaria; and before these all the false prophets prophesied lies." - Targum.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 27 Hands. He ironically (C.) alludes to the declarations of…
Hands. He ironically (C.) alludes to the declarations of the false prophets. H.
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).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 4–27 (1Ki_22:5-28). The Prophecy of Micaiah
4–27 (1Ki_22:5-28). The Prophecy of Micaiah
4. Jehoshaphat] Cp. 2Ki_3:11.
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Inquire … at the word] Cp. Dan_2:10 (A.V.), “no king … asked such things at any magician.” The use of “at” after verbs of asking is obsolete.
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv4–27 (4) And Jehoshaphat.—So exactly 1Ki_22:5.
(4) And Jehoshaphat.—So exactly 1Ki_22:5.
Enquire . . . at the word.—Seek the word.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 The wording of this verse is identical with that…
The wording of this verse is identical with that of the parallel. (1Ki_22:5) Jehoshaphat, if even not quite conscious of it, is throwing some sop to his conscience in essaying to become, and posing as, the godly counsellor of "the ungodly". (2Ch_19:2) At any rate, his counsel is right, even to the point of urging to-day, and significantly deprecating procrastination. It is not, however, so clear that he was, in the first instance, as decided in respect of the necessity of inquiring the will of the Lord at the mouth of a true prophet, in distinction from a prophet merely of Israel, though they should be "four hundred" in number! Compare the following two verses, however, which show as though he was holding himself quite prepared and on the look-out for the expected occasion of having to rein Ahab up!
Inquiring of the Lord.
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We are not at all surprised that Jehoshaphat did not wish to risk the chances of a great battle without "inquiring at the word of the Lord," For it was with him as it should be with us
I A WISE AND HOLY HABIT to seek a knowledge of God"s mind, and the supreme advantage of his direction. Not, indeed, that he invariably asked in this admirable spirit. If we may judge from the silence of Scripture, he had hurried into this questionable partnership without any such reverent solicitude (see preceding homily). Nevertheless, as a devout servant of Jehovah, he was accustomed to consult the Divine will; and it was, no doubt, a strong feeling that he must not depart from this good habit on so great an occasion that prompted him to ask of Ahab what that king would most willingly have dispensed with. It should be our constant custom, our fixed habit of life, to inquire of God concerning everything we propose to ourselves to do; and more particularly respecting the greater events of life on which large issues hang. For who are we that we should lean unto or upon" our own understanding"? How few of all possible considerations can we take into our mind! How impossible for us to give the proper weight to those which are the more grave and serious. How short a way can we look into the future, and how unable we are to foretell what other factors, now out of sight, will come into play! How continually our greatest sagacity must prove to be but childish simplicity in the sight of him who sees everything at a glance! How wise, therefore, to form the habit of continually inquiring of God, of seeking Divine guidance at every stage and even at every step of our human life!
II THE RARE PRIVILEGE for which we may not look. Jehoshaphat wished to know, not only whether God was willing for him to go up to the battle, but also that he would return victorious. He believed that he might gain, not only the instruction, but the information he desired. Now, it is not at all certain that God never gives his people intimation of coming events in our own time; the evidence is rather the other way. But we may not look for Divine predictions as the ordinary and regular thing. Certainty concerning the event would probably have an unfavourable effect on the duty and the struggle before the event. It is, on the whole, best for us not to know what the issue will be; best for us to act as if the result were hanging on our own fidelity. The "long result" we do know, and rejoice to foresee: it nerves us for action; it sustains us in misfortune and temporary defeat. But as to the immediate issue we are best left in uncertainty.
III THE PROMISE WE MAY PLEAD, AND THE HOPE WE MAY CHERISH. (Psa_30:10 Ps 121; Pro_3:6; Isa_58:11; Mat_7:7-11; Heb_13:6) If we are walking in the fear of God, and are his children reconciled to him in Jesus Christ, then we may continually ask and confidently expect
(1) his guidance at the outset, and
(2) his help all through the work we have undertaken, the duty we are discharging, the burden we are bearing. Reverently, intelligently,
obediently, God "will be inquired of" by those who love and serve him. C.
Vers. 4-8.
A council of war: Jehoshaphat and Ahab among the prophets.
I JEHOSHAPAT"S PROPOSAL. To inquire at the Lord (ver. 4). A proposal:
1. Good. Commanded by God, (Pro_3:5, Pro_3:6) recommended by the (Gen_25:22; 1Sa_23:2, 1Sa_23:4; 1Ch_21:30) approved by experience as indispensable for safety, (Jer_10:23) and one that can seldom be neglected without loss, (Zep_1:6) and even hurt. (1Ch_10:14)
2. New. At least in Israel, where the custom had been to say, "Inquire of Baal" (Hall). As such, it probably appeared to Ahab unnecessary, as to ungodly men generally religion and its forms mostly do; though to Ahab it should likewise have served as a rebuke, reminding him of his apostasy from Jehovah and inviting, him to return. A word fitly spoken," etc. (Pro_25:11)
1. Untimely. It should have been made not after but before the conclusion of the treaty, and was now too late. It is not clear that God will direct those whose minds are fixed before they consult him.
2. Insincere. Jehoshaphat"s suggestion not that of an honest man who desired guidance from Heaven, but of one who half suspected he had entered on a doubtful course, from which, however, he did not care to withdraw, but for which he wished Divine permission, if not approbation. Cf. Balaam with the messengers of Balak. (Num_22:7, Num_22:8)
II AHAB"S CONSULTATION. (Ver. 5.)
1. The oracle inquired at.
(1) Seemingly safe. The advisers were "prophets," whose calling was to pronounce upon cases of conscience, and deliver authoritative utterances concerning Heaven"s will (Exo_7:1; Deu_18:22; Eze_14:7) The recognized media of communication between Jehovah the theocratic King and his subjects; they were likewise four hundred in number, and had not Solomon said, "In the multitude of counsellors there is safety"?. (Pro_11:14 Pro_15:22 Pro_24:6)
(2) Really doubtful. "These four hundred privy councillors were prophets, not of Jehovah, but of the calves introduced by Jeroboam, who gave themselves out, indeed, as prophets of Jehovah worshipped under the symbol of the calves," but who "came forward of their own accord without a Divine call, and were, if not in the pay, at least in the service of the idolatrous king" (Keil).
(3) Wholly misleading. Not being in the secret of Jehovah, (Psa_25:14) Ahab"s prophets could not reveal Jehovah"s mind. Merely calling their answer, or believing it to be, Jehovah"s would not make it so. Men have been known to dignify as "revelations" and "visions" from God what was purely the product of their own imaginations or the whisperings of lying spirits.
(4) Perfectly useless. Since Ahab"s prophets could not tell the mind of Jehovah, they were not the advisers Jehoshaphat wanted. Their answer would shed no light upon the problem that perplexed him.
2. The question proposed.
(1) Wrongly expressed. Instead of asking, "Shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" Ahab should have said, "Have we done right in deciding to go to Ramoth-Gilead? or have we done wrong?" When men consult God they should state the case submitted to his judgment with accuracy. Perhaps, however, so far as Ahab was concerned, the statement was correct enough, as it cannot be supposed the rightness or wrongness of the contemplated expedition would much trouble him. That Jehoshaphat did not check his royal brother looked suspicious.
(2) Insincerely moved. Ahab did not want to know the mind of Jehovah upon the subject; Jehoshaphat secretly wished that mind to accord with his own inclinations. With both the Ramoth campaign was a foregone conclusion. Under such circumstances to have asked Jehovah at all was hypocrisy and insult. Compare the conduct of the Jewish remnant who pretended to consult God through Jeremiah about going into Egypt. (Jer_42:20)
3. The answer returned.
(1) What the two kings wanted: "Go up to Ramoth-Gilead." To Jehoshaphat"s uneasy conscience this ought to have given relief, though it did not.
(2) What Jehovah intended: that Ahab should at Ramoth receive his death-stroke.
(3) What the prophets invented: they derived it from their own deceived imaginations.
4. The reason given.
(1) A fiction, framed by the speakers to please their royal patron.
(2) A falsehood, since it was not the Divine purpose at this time to permit the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead.
III JEHOSHAPHAT"S QUESTION. (Ver. 6.)
1. Dictated by suspicion. The King of Judah was not satisfied with the answer of the prophets; which was not wonderful, considering:
(1) Whose prophets they were Ahab"s: "Like master like man.
(2) What sort of prophets they were: "of the calves," not "of Jehovah." Men usually become like the deities they worship; so do prophets.
(3) What inducements they had to return such an answer to Ahab"s interrogation. Ahab being their master, by whose favour they lived, their interest clearly was to please Ahab.
(4) What reason he had to suspect their deliverance it was too like the response he himself desired.
2. Prompted by caution. Jehoshaphat would not act precipitately. If possible, he would have Jehovah"s mind upon the matter. He would imitate David, and urge Ahab to inquire at Jehovah again. (1Sa_23:4) Good men should ponder the paths of their feet, (Pro_4:26) remembering that he who hasteth with his feet sinneth, (Pro_19:2) and that the prudent man looketh well to his going. (Pro_14:15)
IV AHAB"S ANSWER. (Ver. 7.)
1. Promptly given. To Jehoshaphat"s inquiry, "Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides?" etc. (ver. 6), Ahab responded there was one. Ahab probably at the moment did not know where Elijah was, or was afraid of the Tishbite. Most likely he mentioned Micaiah because he expected either that Jehoshaphat, heating Micaiah was in jail, would never dream of proposing he should be called, or that Micaiah, though summoned, would not have courage to speak in presence of two kings and four hundred prophets. In both expectations Ahab miscalculated and outwitted himself, as wicked men usually do.
2. Instantly qualified. The prophet"s name was Micaiah, the son of Imlah conjectured, without historical foundation, to have been the disguisedprophet who had announced to Ahab his doom for permitting Benhadad to escape, (1Ki_20:38) and by the rabbis to have been either he or the unnamed prophet mentioned earlier. (1Ki_20:13, 1Ki_20:22, 1Ki_20:28) That Ahab disliked him was a point in his favour, it being a dubious commendation to be liked by a bad man. Moreover, the ground of Ahab"s displeasure was an additional certificate to Micaiah, though a heavy condemnation of Ahab.
Unless Micaiah had been a true prophet he would not so invariably have spoken evil of Ahab; that he did so was unmistakable evidence that Ahab was a bad man. (Isa_3:11 Isa_48:22) Then Micaiah at the moment was in prison, which Ahab probably imagined would end the matter. But it did not, Jehoshaphat perhaps remembering that good men were often imprisoned unjustly, (Gen_39:20) and that Micaiah"s incarceration, like Hanani"s, (2Ch_16:10) might be to his credit rather than the opposite.
V JEHOSHAPHAT"S REMONSTRANCE. (Ver. 7.) The speech of Ahab told of:
1. A great wrong to Micaiah. Ahab would have sinned in hating Micaiah even had Micaiah been an offender; (Lev_19:17) much more when Micaiah was innocent and Ahab"s anger was without a cause (Psa_35:19; Mat_5:22) most of all when Micaiah was a prophet of Jehovah, (Psa_105:15) who had only spoken the words Jehovah put into his mouth. (Jer_1:7 Jer_7:27)
2. A greater wrong to Jehovah. Just because Micaiah"s words were not his own so much as Jehovah"s, a reflection on Micaiah was a virtual reflection on Jehovah. When Ahab charged Micaiah with always speaking evil concerning him, he practically charged Jehovah with being malignant towards him. But if Micaiah prophesied calamity for Ahab that was conditional on Ahab"s disobedience, and would have been averted by repentance and reformation; (Eze_33:14) if Jehovah put minatory language into his prophet"s mouth; this was out of love to Ahab, to turn him from his evil ways.
VI AHAB"S SUBMISSION. (Ver. 8.) An officer (or eunuch) was hastily despatched to fetch Micaiah from his cell. The haste may have indicated:
1. Ahabs sense of the importance of the question under consideration; and certainly nothing can be of greater moment for any than to understand what the will of the Lord is. Only this can be ascertained by none but renewed hearts. (Rom_12:2) More likely, however, it marked:
2. Ahabs sense of his own importance, which could brook no delay in the execution of his royal commands. An earthly king"s business, even when insignificant, is commonly supposed to require haste; (1Sa_21:8) how much more the business of the King of kings (Joh_9:4; ! (Rom_12:11) The haste may even have been due to:
3. Ahab"s inward irritation with Jehoshaphat, to whom he had submitted, possibly not with the best grace. It requires a large amount of magnanimity to enable even good men to accept the rebukes and yield to the persuasions of others.
Learn:
1. The propriety and wisdom of consulting God in everything. (Php_4:6; Jam_1:5)
1. The unlikelihood of learning God"s mind from the world"s prophets or teachers. (Joh_3:31)
2. The certainty that God"s faithful servants will not be liked by theircontemporaries, and that in exact proportion to their faithfulness. (Joh_7:7 Joh_15:19)
3. The danger of playing fast and loose with conscience. W.
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 On vv4, 6, 16, 25 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire,…
2Ch_18:4-34
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day.
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Divine truth and its typical reception
Here are four types of human conduct in relation to Divine truth.
I. Those who seek the truth. Micaiah believed in its existence, prayed for its teaching, and determined to follow its leading.
II. Those who are opposed to the truth. The priests assumed to be its only depositaries, denied the claims of others, ridiculed and opposed its representative. None so slow to believe in a Divine Spirit as those accustomed to speak Divine words, but in whose hearts is no Divine life.
III. Those who believe yet disobey the truth. Jehoshaphat believed the prophet Micaiah, mildly defended his character, yet would not withdraw from Ahab.
IV. Those who are alarmed at truth. Ahab roused in conscience, afraid of results, and tried to escape by stratagem. (J. Wolfendale.)
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 On vv4, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25 king of Israel
king of Israel
This refers to King Ahab.
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four hundred men
"400 men" (See: Numbers)
should I not
Here about refers to himself accompanied by his army as himself. AT: "should we not" (See: Synecdoche)
will give it into the hand of the king
Here the king's "hand" refers to his control. This means that God will enable them to defeat the people at Ramoth Gilead. AT: "will enable your army to defeat them" (See: Metonymy and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
translationWords
prophet
God
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 On vv5, 15, 18, 25 18:5-7 The 400 prophets were Ahab’s “yes-men.” Jehoshaphat wanted…
18:5-7 The 400 prophets were Ahab’s “yes-men.” Jehoshaphat wanted instead to hear from a prophet of the Lord, but Ahab knew in advance that such a prophet would contradict his court prophets.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.