1 Kings 22:33

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:29-40 Ahab basely intended to betray Johoshaphat to danger, that he might secure himself. See what they get that join with wicked men. How can it be expected that he should be true to his friend, who has been false to his God! He had said in compliment to Ahab, I am as thou art, and now he was indeed taken for him. Those that associate with evil-doers, are in danger of sharing in their plagues. By Jehoshaphat's deliverance, God let him know, that though he was displeased with him, yet he had not deserted him. God is a friend that will not fail us when other friends do. Let no man think to hide himself from God's judgment. God directed the arrow to hit Ahab; those cannot escape with life, whom God has doomed to death. Ahab lived long enough to see part of Micaiah's prophecy accomplished. He had time to feel himself die; with what horror must he have thought upon the wickedness he had committed!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Surely it is the king of Israel - This was a natural supposition, as Jehoshaphat alone wore royal robes.

And Jehoshaphat cried out - Jehoshaphat called to his men for help, using perhaps his own special battle-cry, which would be distinct from that of Ahab, and would probably be known to the Syrians.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

29-38. went up to Ramoth-gilead—The king of Israel, bent on this expedition, marched, accompanied by his ally, with all his forces to the siege; but on approaching the scene of action, his courage failed, and, hoping to evade the force of Micaiah's prophecy by a secret stratagem, he assumed the uniform of a subaltern, while he advised Jehoshaphat to fight in his royal attire. The Syrian king, with a view either to put the speediest end to the war, or perhaps to wipe out the stain of his own humiliation (1Ki 20:31), had given special instructions to his generals to single out Ahab, and to take or kill him, as the author of the war. The officers at first directed their assault on Jehoshaphat, but, becoming aware of their mistake, desisted. Ahab was wounded by a random arrow, which, being probably poisoned, and the state of the weather increasing the virulence of the poison, he died at sunset. The corpse was conveyed to Samaria; and, as the chariot which brought it was being washed, in a pool near the city, from the blood that had profusely oozed from the wound, the dogs, in conformity with Elijah's prophecy, came and licked it [1Ki 21:19]. Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah [1Ki 22:40].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

When the captains perceived that it was not the king of Israel; which they easily perceived, either by the words uttered to God or them, or by the difference of his shape and countenance from that of Ahab, which probably many of them very well knew.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel,.... Against whom only their orders were to fight:

that they turned back from pursuing him; for upon so great a force coming upon him he could not withstand, he fled.

Geneva Study Bible

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

33. when the captains … perceived that it was not the king of Israel] From this it is plain that the pursuers gathered, by the cry, knowledge that it was Jehoshaphat. A cry of supplication would have been no guide to them, but a shout of ‘Judah to the rescue,’ or some similar word, might make them aware that the king they were approaching was the king of Judah.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived [in what way we are not told. But Ahab would be known to some of them, ch. 20:81] that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him 1 Kings 22:33

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

And when the leaders of the war-chariots saw Jehoshaphat in the battle in his royal clothes, they took him for the king of Israel (Ahab), and pressed upon him. Then Jehoshaphat cried out; and from this they perceived that he was not the king of Israel, and turned away from him. וגו אך אמרוּ והמּה, "and they thought, it is only (i.e., no other than) the king of Israel." עליו יסרוּ, "they bent upon him." Instead of this we have in the Chronicles עליו יסבּוּ, "they surrounded him," and Thenius proposes to alter our text to this; but there is no necessity for doing so, as סוּר also occurs in a similar sense and connection in 1 Kings 20:39. How far Jehoshaphat was saved by his crying out, is not precisely stated. He probably cried out to his followers to come to his aid, from which the Syrians discovered that he was not the king of Israel, whom they were in search of. The chronicler adds (1 Kings 2:18, 1 Kings 2:31): "and the Lord helped him and turned them off from him;" thus believingly tracing the rescue of the king to its higher causality, though without our having any right to infer from this that Jehoshaphat cried aloud to God for help, which is not implied in the words of the Chronicles.