Geneva Study Bible Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined {a} affinity with Ahab.
(a) For Joram Jehoshaphat's son married Ahab's daughter. 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 Ramothgilead. And after certain {b} 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 {c} Ramothgilead.
(b) That is, the third year, 1Ki 22:2. (c) To recover it out of the hands of the Syrians. And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war. And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the {d} word of the LORD to day.
(d) Hear the advise of some prophet to know whether it is God's will. Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand. Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of {e} prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.
(e) Who were the prophets of Baal, signifying that the wicked esteem none but liars and such as will bear with their inordinate affections. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him? But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
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. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I {f} 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 {g} so.
(f) Yet the true ministers of God should not cease to do their duty, even though the wicked magistrates cannot abide them speaking the truth. (g) Meaning, that he should not refuse to hear any that was from God. 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 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. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their {h} robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
(h) That is, in their majesty and royal apparel. 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. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him {i} horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
(i) Read 1Ki 22:11. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, 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. 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 {k} assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
(k) Thinking, that since four hundred prophets had agreed in one thing, that he being but one man and in least estimation, did not dare to go against it. And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. 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 Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, {l} Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
(l) He spoke this in derision of the false prophets as the king well knew. 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? 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. Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, {m} These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
(m) He prophesied of how the people would be scattered and Ahab slain. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil? 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. Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the {n} host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
(n) Meaning his angels. And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? 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? Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
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. And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And {o} the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
(o) That is, the Lord. 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. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a {p} lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
(p) To those who would not believe the truth, God sent a strong delusion, that they would believe lies, 2Th 2:10. 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? Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the {q} cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
(q) By this cruelty his ambition and hypocrisy was discovered; thus the hypocrites boast of the Spirit which they do not have, and declare their malice against them on whom the true Spirit is. And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
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; 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. And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of {r} affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
(r) Keep him in prison, and let him feel hunger and thirst. And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people. And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
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. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will {s} 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.
(s) Thus the wicked think by their own subtilty to escape God's judgments which he threatens by his word. 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 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.
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. 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 {t} cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
(t) He cried to the Lord by acknowledging his fault in going with this wicked king to war against the word of the Lord by his prophet and also by desiring mercy for the same. 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. 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. 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.
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. And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel {u} stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died. (u) He disguised his wound that his soldiers might fight more courageously. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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