Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
Now. &c. This chapter is complementary to 1 Kings 22 .
riches and honour in abundance. This is repeated from 2 Chronicles 17:5 , to show that there was no need for any alliance of any kind.
joined affinity. By marrying his son Jehoram to Athaliah the daughter of Ahab (2 Chronicles 21:6 ; 2 Kings 8:18 ). Contrast 2 Chronicles 17:1 , where he began by strengthening himself against Ahab, and now "joined affinity" with him. See App-55 . Compare Asa's alliance with Syria (1 Kings 15:17-19 ). Note the three alliances or unequal yokes: (1) Marriage (2 Chronicles 18:1 ; 2 Chronicles 21:6 ); (2) War (2 Chronicles 18:2-34 ); (3) Commerce (2 Chronicles 20:35 , 2 Chronicles 20:36 ). The consequence of this alliance was that Jerusalem ran with blood. The same was seen when James I of England married his son Charles I to Henrietta of France. England ran with blood, Charles lost his head, and his son James II lost his throne.
And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.
And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), emphasizing the consequent details.
after certain years. The third year of the peace between Ahab and Syria (1 Kings 22:1 , 1 Kings 22:2 ).
And Ahab killed, &c. Ahab's "sheep and oxen" did what all his men of war could never have done (2 Chronicles 17:2 , 2 Chronicles 17:10-19 ).
persuaded = seduced. Hebrew suth, to incite; our "sooth"; hence to deceive (Deuteronomy 13:6 . 1 Samuel 26:19 . 1 Kings 21:25 .Jeremiah 38:22; Jeremiah 38:22 ).
Rarnoth-gilead. Now, probably Reimum, in Gileacl. One of the cities of' refuge (Deuteronomy 4:43 ). God's gift to Israel.
And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
we will be with thee. Jehoshaphat was deceived by its seeming to be a "good work". But "good" works are only "prepared" works (Ephesians 2:10 ). It could not be "good" if done "with thee" (Compare 2 Chronicles 19:2 ). "Better is he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32 ). But Jehoshaphat did not "take it".
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
Enquire, &c. This shows his consciousness that he was not doing right.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.
prophets: i.e. the false prophets of Baal.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . They knew not experimental relationship with Jehovah.
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
besides. He thus shows that he knew they were false prophets.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
I hate him = I have always hated him. True prophets are always hated by the Lord's enemies.
evil Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .
Micaiah = Who is like Jehovah?
And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
prophesied before them. Jehoshaphat well knowing that they were not the prophets of Jehovah.
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
they. Note the characteristic ambiguity of such communications.
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
assent = mouth. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause) for what is spoken by it.
And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
we . . . I. . . ye. Note the change in number.
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
these. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "all these".
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
thou shalt see = art going to see; or, art about to see; or, thou wilt soon see.
Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
Put this fellow. One of the eleven rulers offended with God's servants. See note on Exodus 10:28 , and App-10 .
bread of affliction. Genitive of relation. Bread accompanied by, or eaten in, affliction; also because of its quality, or scant allowance.
And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
people = Peoples.
they went = they entered. But some codices, with two early printed editions, Aramaean, Syriac, and Vulg, read "he entered". Compare 1 Kings 22:30 .
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
carry him back. Implying that Micaiah was already a prisoner.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.
Now, &c. Having been taken into the camp of Israel and allowed to hear what Ahab said, we are now taken into the camp of Syria to overhear what the king of Syria said. This is to enable us to understand what follows.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
helped him: i.e. Jehoshaphat, for Jehovah was his Covenant God.
God moved them. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 . He stood, to the Syrians, only in the relation of the Creator to His creatures.
For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
at a venture = in his innocence, or ignorance.
of the harness = of the armour.
that thou mayest = and.
wounded = sore wounded.
And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.
he died. Not fell asleep! No details of his death, here, in Chronicles, which is concerned only with Judah. Details given in Kings (1 Kings 22:35-38 ).