221 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel . 2 In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel . 3 Now the king of Israel said to his servants , "Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram ?" 4 And he said to Jehoshaphat , "Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead ?" And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel , " I am as you are, my people as your people , my horses as your horses ." 5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel , "Please inquire first for the word of the Lord ." 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men , and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain ?" And they said , "Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king ." 7 But Jehoshaphat said , "Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?" 8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat , "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord , but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil . He is Micaiah son of Imlah ." But Jehoshaphat said , "Let not the king say so ." 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said , "Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah ." 10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne , arrayed in their robes , at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria ; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said , "Thus says the Lord , ' With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed .' " 12 All the prophets were prophesying thus , saying , "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper , for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king ." 13 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying , "Behold now , the words of the prophets are uniformly e favorable to the king . Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably ." 14 But Micaiah said , " As the Lord lives , what e the Lord says to me, that I shall speak ."
15 When he came to the king , the king said to him, "Micaiah , shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle , or shall we refrain ?" And he answered him, " Go up and succeed , and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king ." 16 Then the king said to him, "How e many e times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord ?" 17 So he said , "I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains , Like sheep which have no shepherd . And the Lord said , 'These have no master . Let each of them return to his house in peace .' " 18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat , " Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil ?" 19 Micaiah said , "Therefore , hear the word of the Lord . I saw the Lord sitting on His throne , and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left . 20 "The Lord said , 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead ?' And one said this while another said that. 21 "Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said , 'I will entice him.' 22 "The Lord said to him, 'How ?' And he said , 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets .' Then He said , 'You are to entice him and also prevail . Go and do so .' 23 "Now therefore, behold , the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets ; and the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 22:1-23
Commentary on 1 Kings 22:1-14
(Read 1 Kings 22:1-14)
The same easiness of temper, which betrays some godly persons into friendship with the declared enemies of religion, renders it very dangerous to them. They will be drawn to wink at and countenance such conduct and conversation as they ought to protest against with abhorrence. Whithersoever a good man goes, he ought to take his religion with him, and not be ashamed to own it when he is with those who have no regard for it. Jehoshaphat had not left behind him, at Jerusalem, his affection and reverence for the word of the Lord, but avowed it, and endeavoured to bring it into Ahab's court. And Ahab's prophets, to please Jehoshaphat, made use of the name of Jehovah: to please Ahab, they said, Go up. But the false prophets cannot so mimic the true, but that he who has spiritual senses exercised, can discern the fallacy. One faithful prophet of the Lord was worth them all. Wordly men have in all ages been alike absurd in their views of religion. They would have the preacher fit his doctrine to the fashion of the times, and the taste of the hearers, and yet to add. Thus saith the Lord, to words that men would put into their mouths. They are ready to cry out against a man as rude and foolish, who scruples thus to try to secure his own interests, and to deceive others.
Commentary on 1 Kings 22:15-28
(Read 1 Kings 22:15-28)
The greatest kindness we can do to one that is going in a dangerous way, is, to tell him of his danger. To leave the hardened criminal without excuse, and to give a useful lesson to others, Micaiah related his vision. This matter is represented after the manner of men: we are not to imagine that God is ever put upon new counsels; or that he needs to consult with angels, or any creature, about the methods he should take; or that he is the author of sin, or the cause of any man's telling or believing a lie. Micaiah returned not the blow of Zedekiah, yet, since he boasted of the Spirit, as those commonly do that know least of the Holy Spirit's operations, the true prophet left him to be convinced of his error by the event. Those that will not have their mistakes set right in time, by the word of God, will be undeceived, when it is too late, by the judgments of God. We should be ashamed of what we call trials, were we to consider what the servants of God have endured. Yet it will be well, if freedom from trouble prove not more hurtful to us; we are more easily allured and bribed into unfaithfulness and conformity to the world, than driven to them.