THREE YEARS - These must be counted from the close of the second campaign of Ben-hadad 1 Kings 20:34. They were not full years, as is evident from the next verse. Probably the first year is that of Ben-hadad’s dismissal after his defeat; the second is a year of actual peace; while the third is that... [ Continue Reading ]
This visit indicates an entire change in the relations which we have hitherto found subsisting between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. The common danger to which the two kingdoms were exposed from the growing power of Syria had probably induced them to forget their differences. Jehoshaphat’s eldes... [ Continue Reading ]
By the terms of Ahab’s covenant with Ben-hadad, Ramoth in Gilead ought, long ere this, to have been restored 1 Kings 20:34. Hence, the claim “is ours,” i. e., “it belongs to us of right though the Syrians still hold possession of it.”... [ Continue Reading ]
Ahab, well aware of the military strength of Syria, and feeling that he cannot now expect divine aid 1 Kings 20:42; 1 Kings 21:21, asks the aid of Jehoshaphat, whose military resources were very great 2 Chronicles 17:12. Jehoshaphat’s answer is one of complete acquiescence, without reserve of any ki... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehoshaphat, with characteristic piety 1 Kings 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... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PROPHETS - i. e., In all probability the prophets attached to the worship of the calves; not real prophets of Yahweh. This seems evident both from Jehoshaphat’s dissatisfaction 1 Kings 22:7, and from the strong antagonism apparent between the true Yahweh-prophet Micaiah, and these self-styled “p... [ Continue Reading ]
Jehoshaphat was dissatisfied. These men - creatures of Ahab, tainted with the worship of calves if not with Baal-worship - had promised victory, but not in the name of Yahweh. Jehoshaphat, therefore, asked, “Is there not here a true prophet of Yahweh besides these 400 professed prophets?”... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS YET ONE MAN, MICAIAH - Elijah, it appears, had withdrawn again after the events of the last chapter, and there was no known prophet of Yahweh within reach of Samaria except Micaiah. HE DOTH NOT PROPHESY GOOD CONCERNING ME BUT EVIL - Whether the tradition in 1 Kings 20:41 note be true or not... [ Continue Reading ]
AN OFFICER - More properly, as in the margin, “a eunuch.” Eunuchs seem to have been first introduced among the Israelites by David (1 Chronicles 28:1 note). They were a natural accompaniment of the seraglio of Solomon. The present passage is the first which shows that, after the separation of the ki... [ Continue Reading ]
SAT EACH ON HIS THRONE - Or, “were sitting.” They had removed from the banquet 2 Chronicles 18:2 to the void place, or empty space at the entrance of the gate Ruth 4:1; 2 Samuel 15:2, where Ahab daily sat to hear complaints and decide causes. Each was seated upon his throne, the Oriental kings havin... [ Continue Reading ]
HORNS OF IRON - The horn in Scripture is the favorite symbol of power; and pushing with the horn is a common metaphor for attacking and conquering enemies (see Deuteronomy 33:17; Compare Psalms 44:5; Daniel 8:4). Zedekiah, in employing a symbolic action, was following the example of a former Israeli... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MESSENGER SPAKE UNTO HIM ... - There seems to have been a widespread notion among the irreligious and the half-religious of the ancient world, that their prophets were not the mere mouth-pieces of the god, but that they were persons who had power with the god, and could compel, or at least i... [ Continue Reading ]
Micaiah, as a true prophet of Yahweh, of course rejected the counsel offered him, which he felt to be at once wicked and foolish. Compare also the resolution of Balaam, marginal reference.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE ANSWERED HIM ... - Micaiah speaks the exact words of the 400 in so mocking and ironical a tone, that the king cannot mistake his meaning, or regard his answer as serious. The king’s rejoinder implies that this mocking manner was familiar to Micaiah, who had used it in some former dealings wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus adjured, Micaiah wholly changes his tone. Ahab cannot possibly mistake the meaning of his vision, especially as the metaphor of “sheep and shepherd” for king and people was familiar to the Israelites from the prayer of Moses Numbers 27:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
See 1 Kings 22:8. Ahab implies that he believes Micaiah to have spoken out of pure malevolence, without any authority for his prediction from God. By implication he invites Jehoshaphat to disregard this pseudo-prophecy, and to put his trust in the unanimous declaration of the 400. Micaiah, therefore... [ Continue Reading ]
David’s Psalms had familiarised the Israelites with Yahweh sitting upon a throne in the heavens (Psalms 9:7; Psalms 11:4; Psalms 45:6; Psalms 103:19, etc.); but to be allowed to see in vision the ineffable glory of the Almighty thus seated, was a rare favor. It was granted to Isaiah, to Daniel (marg... [ Continue Reading ]
A SPIRIT - “The spirit “ - which some explain as “the evil spirit” - i. e. Satan; others as simply “the spirit” who should “persuade.”... [ Continue Reading ]
The difficulties which attach to this passage are considerable. On the one hand, it is hard to suppose one of the holy Angels a “lying spirit;” on the other, hard to find Satan, or an evil spirit, included among “the host of heaven” 1 Kings 22:19 and acting as the minister of God. Still, Job 1:6; Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
SMOTE MICAIAH ON THE CHEEK - As Micaiah had been brought from prison 1 Kings 22:26, it is probable that his hands were bound. The prophet, thus standing before the great ones of the earth, bound and helpless, bearing testimony to the truth, and for his testimony smitten on the face by an underling,... [ Continue Reading ]
Micaiah addresses himself not so much to Zedekiah’s question, as to the main point which lies in dispute - which of them, namely, is a true prophet. “When the news, i. e., of Ahab’s death, caused by his following thy counsels, reaches Samaria, and thou hast to hide thyself from the vengeance of Ahaz... [ Continue Reading ]
CARRY HIM BACK - literally, “cause him to return.” Micaiah had been in custody before, and was brought by Ahab’s messenger from his prison. THE GOVERNOR OF THE CITY - This is one out of several notices respecting what may be called the “constitution” of the Israelite kingdom. The king consulted on i... [ Continue Reading ]
FEED HIM WITH BREAD OF AFFLICTION ... - Micaiah is to be once more put in prison, but, in order to punish him for his uncomplying spirit, upon a poorer and scantier diet than he had been previously allowed. This is to continue until Ahab returns in peace. Ahab introduces this expression purposely, i... [ Continue Reading ]
It might have been expected that Jehoshaphat would have withdrawn from the expedition when he heard Micaiah denounce it. He had, however, rashly committed himself to take part in the war by a solemn promise, before he bethought himself of inquiring what was the will of God in the matter. Now he was... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL DISGUISE MYSELF - Ahab had probably heard of Ben-hadad’s order to his captains 1 Kings 22:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMANDED - “Had commanded.” Ben-hadad delivers his order in the hyperbolical style common in the East. His meaning is, “Make it your chief object to kill or take the king of Israel.” Apparently, his own defeat and captivity were still rankling in his mind, and he wished to retaliate on Ahab, the hu... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Syrian... [ Continue Reading ]
AT A VENTURE - literally, as in the margin, i. e. without intent to kill the king. BETWEEN THE JOINTS OF THE HARNESS - literally, as in the margin. The “joints” were probably pieces of armor which attached the breast-plate to the helmet or to the greaves. The arrow entered between the breastplate a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BATTLE INCREASED - See the margin; i. e. the tide of battle rose higher. Compare Isaiah 8:7. THE KING WAS STAYED UP IN HIS CHARIOT - The king’s wound made it impossible for him to remain standing without help; he therefore had himself supported in his chariot by attendants, in order that his so... [ Continue Reading ]
ABOUT THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN - i. e. as soon as Ahab was dead. The abandonment of the expedition and dispersion of the army on the death of the king is thoroughly Oriental. The Septuagint version reads 1 Kings 22:36, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country, for the king is dead:... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WASHED HIS ARMOUR - Rather, “the harlots bathed in it.” The “pool of Samaria,” which was stained with Ahab’s blood by the washing of his chariot in it, was, according to Josephus, the usual bathing-place of the Samaritan harlots. A large tank or reservoir, probably identical with this pool, sti... [ Continue Reading ]
THE IVORY HOUSE - So called from the character of its ornamentation. Ivory was largely used in the ancient world as a covering of wood-work, and seems to have been applied, not only to furniture, but to the doors and walls of houses. Nothing is known of the cities built by Ahab; but the fact is imp... [ Continue Reading ]
The writer returns to the history of the kingdom of Judah (connect this verse with 1 Kings 15:24), sketching briefly a reign much more fully given by the writer of Chronicles 2 Chr. 17–20. Compare also the marginal references.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the general piety of Asa, see above, 1 Kings 15:11 and references. Jehoshaphat seems to have been a still better king, for he did not, like Asa, fall away in his old age 2 Chronicles 16:2. THE HIGH PLACES WERE NOT TAKEN AWAY - This seems to contradict 2 Chronicles 17:6. Probably the writer of Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
This refers probably to an early period in Jehoshaphat’s reign - about his eighth or his ninth year - when he closed the long series of wars between the two kingdoms by a formal peace, perhaps at once cemented by a marriage between Jehoram and Athaliah (1 Kings 22:2 note).... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES ... - Compare 1 Kings 22:39 note. The biographer of Jehoshaphat appears to have been Jehu, the son of Hanani 2 Chronicles 20:34.... [ Continue Reading ]
See the marginal references notes.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the time of Solomon, Hadad 1 Kings 11:14, according to the Septuagint, “reigned over Edom.” It appears by the present passage that the country had been again reduced either by Jehoshaphat, or by an earlier king, and was dependent on the kingdom of Judah, being governed by a “deputy” or viceroy, w... [ Continue Reading ]
The expression, “ships of Tharshish,” probably designates ships of a particular class, ships (i. e.) like those with which the Phoenicians used to trade to Tharshish (Tartessus, 1 Kings 10:22 note). Compare the use of “India-man” for a vessel of a certain class. Jehoshaphat’s fleet was constructed a... [ Continue Reading ]
2 Chronicles 20:35, explains that the two kings conjointly built the fleet with which the Ophir trade (1 Kings 9:28 note) was to be re-opened. Ahaziah had thus an interest in the ships; and when they were wrecked, attributing, as it would seem, the calamity to the unskillfulness of his ally’s marine... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO YEARS - According to our reckoning, not much more than a twelve-month year.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE WAY OF HIS MOTHER - In this phrase, which does not occur anywhere else, we see the strong feeling of the writer as to the influence of Jezebel (compare 1 Kings 16:31). Verses 1 Kings 22:51. It would be of advantage if these verses were transferred to the Second Book of Kings, which would thu... [ Continue Reading ]