_A.M. 3105. B.C. 899._
Ahab invites Jehoshaphat to join in recovering Ramoth-Gilead, 1 Kings
22:1. His false prophets promise him success, 1Ki 22:5, 1 Kings 22:6.
He sends for Micaiah, 1 Kings 22:7. Further promises, 1 Kings 22:11; 1
Kings 22:12. Micaiah's uprightness and prediction, 1 Kings 22:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
_They continued three years_ That is, three years were spent; _without
war between Syria and Israel_ Computed from the last war and league
wherewith it was concluded. Both Ahab and Ben-hadad were so weakened
and broken by the late wars, that they needed and desired peace to
recruit themselves, and r... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king of Judah came down to the king of Israel_ Having now, as he
supposed, made a firm peace with him, by the alliance contracted
between Jehoram his son, and Athaliah, Ahab's daughter, 2 Kings 8:18;
2 Chronicles 18:1. It is strange that so good a man would be so
closely connected with a king r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Know ye not that Ramoth in Gilead is ours?_ Belongeth to us by right,
both by God's donation, and by our last agreement with Ben- hadad, 1
Kings 20:34. It is probable Ben-hadad had not made good his part of
the covenant, to restore all the cities which the Syrians had taken
from Israel, and that th... [ Continue Reading ]
_He said to Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go up with me_, &c.? It is not
strange that Ahab should desire the assistance of so pious and
prosperous a neighbour as Jehoshaphat, and should wish to draw him in
to join him in this expedition for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead. Even
bad men have often coveted the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehoshaphat said, Inquire, I pray thee_, &c. By some prophet; that we
may know the mind of God in this matter, and what success we may
expect. A good man, wherever he goes, will take God along with him,
will _acknowledge him in all his ways_, and look to him for success:
and, wherever he goes, he o... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king of Israel gathered the prophets together_ Doubtless his own
false prophets, such as he had set up by rewards and promises, and who
accordingly knew how to suit his humour, and flatter his vanity, and
who yet gave in their answer in the name of Jehovah; either in
compliance with Jehoshaphat... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides?_ Besides these who
may seem to be such in your opinion, and by their own profession? He
did not entirely reject these as no prophets of the Lord, though he
had some doubt of their being divinely inspired with the certain
knowledge of future events; a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hasten hither Micaiah_ It seems he had imprisoned him; for, 1 Kings
22:26, he bids the officer _carry him back_, namely, to the place
where he was before. Probably this was he that had reproved him for
letting Ben-hadad go, 1 Kings 20:42: and for that, had lain in prison
three years. But this did n... [ Continue Reading ]
_Zedekiah made him horns of iron_ Fit emblems of the power and victory
of these two kings. The devil is God's ape, and the false prophets
imitated the true, who, when they declared God's mind by words, did
also sometimes confirm it by sensible signs, Isaiah 20:2; Jeremiah
27:2. _Thus saith the Lord_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Speak that which is good_ This was a most absurd request: for if
Micaiah was a true prophet, he could say nothing but what was
suggested to him by divine inspiration, and if he were not, why should
he speak at all? Of what use could his prophesying be unless to
deceive? _What the Lord saith unto me... [ Continue Reading ]
_He answered him, Go, and prosper_ He gave the very same answer, and
in the same words, which the other prophets had done; but spake them
in such a manner, that Ahab plainly discerned he derided and mocked
him: his meaning being evidently this: Because thou dost not seek to
know the truth, but only... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he said, I saw_ Namely, in the Spirit, or in a vision; _all
Israel scattered upon the hills_ Upon the mountains of Gilead, where
they lay encamped by Ahab's order, or to which they fled from the
enemy. _As sheep that have no shepherd_ As people that have lost their
king. _The Lord said, These h... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king of Israel said, Did not I tell thee_, &c. Now thou seest my
words verified, and how this man shows his hatred by his malignant and
treasonable prophecy, and how little regard is to be paid to his
words. Which crafty insinuation seems to have had too great an
influence on good Jehoshaphat,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord_ Because thou
givest credit to thy false prophets, and disbelievest my words, as if
they were but the suggestions of my own fancy, and of hatred to thy
person, I will give thee a distinct and true account of the whole
matter in God's name and pr... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab_, &c. This is not to be
understood grossly, as if God were at a loss to find out an expedient
to accomplish his own designs; nor is it to be supposed that there was
really any such consultation, before the Divine Majesty, as who should
be employed to persuade... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put_, &c. It is frequent in the
Holy Scriptures to call that the Lord's doing which he only permits to
be done; because he has the supreme direction of all things, and
governs the event. Wicked devices proceed from wicked men and wicked
spirits: but, that they p... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Zedekiah went near_ The chief of the false prophets, who was much
in the king's favour. _Which way went the Spirit of the Lord,_ &c. In
what manner went it? Contemptuous language as well as behaviour: as
much as to say, How dare you prophesy directly contrary to what I have
done, who have the S... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take Micaiah, and carry him back_ Namely, into prison, where, it
seems, he was before shut up; for so the Lord's prophets were treated
by Ahab. _Feed him with bread of affliction_, &c. With very coarse and
spare diet, whereby he may be only supported to endure his torment.
_Until I come in peace_ U... [ Continue Reading ]
_Micaiah said, If thou return, &c., the Lord hath not spoken by me_
Let me incur the reproach and punishment of a false prophet; _and he_
Namely, Micaiah; _said, Hearken, O people, every one of you_ Knowing
in whom he had believed, and being fully assured of the truth of his
prophecy, he calls all t... [ Continue Reading ]
_So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat went up_, &c. Notwithstanding
the declaration Micaiah had made of God's decree, Jehoshaphat was
persuaded by Ahab and other prophets to go on this expedition; partly
because Micaiah was a person unknown to him, and both he and the other
prophets professing to s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The king of Israel said, I will disguise myself_ Put off my imperial
habit, and appear as a private man, that the Syrians may not know me,
and direct their main force against me. This he judged they would do,
as knowing him to be the principal author of this war, and that it was
likely to die with... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fight only with the king of Israel_ This he ordered, truly supposing
this to be the best way to put an end to the war; and by the
providence of God, which disposeth the hearts of kings as he pleaseth,
and which inclined them to this course, that they might, though
ignorantly, accomplish his counsel... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the captains saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Surely,_ &c. They saw
no other but him in a royal habit, and hence concluded he must be the
king of Israel, whom they believed to be present in the battle, and to
be the commander of the Israelitish army. _They turned aside to fight
against him_ They dr... [ Continue Reading ]
_A certain man drew a bow at a venture_ Shot at a venture among the
army, without care, or choice, or any design of reaching Ahab, or any
particular person; _and smote the king of Israel between the joints of
the harness_ Where the several parts of his armour were joined
together; the only place abo... [ Continue Reading ]
_The battle increased that day_ There was a sharp fight after this;
insomuch that the king, for fear his soldiers should give way, would
return into the field, notwithstanding his wounds, and be supported in
his chariot, to encourage his army. _And died at even_ Finding, too
late, the truth of Micai... [ Continue Reading ]
_The dogs licked up his blood_ Together with the water wherewith it
was mixed. This circumstance is noticed because it was the
accomplishment of one part of Elijah's prophecy concerning him. Now
Naboth's blood was avenged!... [ Continue Reading ]
_The ivory house which he made_ Not that it was wholly made of solid
ivory, but the other materials used in building it were covered, or
intermixed, or adorned with ivory. It appears by this short history
that Ahab would have had some noble qualities in him, if he had not
been incurably addicted to... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old_, &c. The intention of the
writer of this book was principally to give us the history of the
kings of the house of David, with which he begins, and then
interweaves with it some account of the kings of Israel. Thus having
finished the history of Asa, king o... [ Continue Reading ]
_He walked in all the ways of Asa_ He took the same care for the
government of his kingdom, and especially for the reformation of
religion, which Asa did. _Nevertheless, the high places were not taken
away _ Not fully, or not in the beginning of his reign. For that he
did take them away, at least in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehoshaphat made peace_, &c. With Ahab first, and then with his son.
This is noted as a blemish in his government, 2 Chronicles 19:2; and
proved of most mischievous consequence to his posterity. _The remnant
of the sodomites he took out of the land_ He made a more narrow search
after them than his... [ Continue Reading ]
_A deputy was king_ Sent and set over them by the kings of Judah,
whose viceroy he was, as we now speak. This kind of government
continued in Edom from the days of David, who began it, until the time
of Jehoram, Jehoshaphat's son, who lost this authority.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish_ These ships were not to go to
Tharshish, but Ophir. But, it appears, they were called ships of
Tharshish from their form, being made after the model of the ships
which traded to that place. And all such ships, wheresoever they were
built, were called ships of Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jehoshaphat would not_ He had contracted an amity with this king, and
engaged himself so far, as to permit him to join with him in this
navy, 2 Chronicles 20:35. But, being chastised, and better instructed
by his ill success, and the breaking of the ships, and being reproved
for his sin in joining... [ Continue Reading ]
_And reigned two years over Israel_ Not complete, as appears from 2
Kings 3:1; but part of two years; for he died before his second year
was ended. _He walked in the way of his father_ Followed the wicked
example he had set, especially in worshipping Baal. _And in the way of
his mother_ Jezebel, who... [ Continue Reading ]