221 And they sit still three years, there is no war between Aram and Israel, 2 and it cometh to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah cometh down unto the king of Israel, 3 and the king of Israel saith unto his servants, 'Have ye not known that ours 'is' Ramoth-Gilead? and we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram!' 4 And he saith unto Jehoshaphat, 'Dost thou go with me to battle 'to' Ramoth-Gilead?' and Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, 'As I am, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.' 5 And Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, 'Seek, I pray thee, to-day, the word of Jehovah;' 6 and the king of Israel gathereth the prophets, about four hundred men, and saith unto them, 'Do I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' and they say, 'Go up, and the Lord doth give 'it' into the hand of the king.' 7 And Jehoshaphat saith, 'Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, and we seek by him?' 8 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, 'Yet—one man to seek Jehovah by him, and I have hated him, for he doth not prophesy concerning me good, but evil—Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, 'Let not the king say so.' 9 And the king of Israel calleth unto a certain eunuch, and saith, 'Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.' 10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, in a threshing-floor, at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets are prophesying before them. 11 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, By these thou dost push the Aramaeans till they are consumed;' 12 and all the prophets are prophesying so, saying, 'Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given 'it' into the hand of the king.' 13 And the messenger who hath gone to call Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, 'Lo, I pray thee, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, 'are' good towards the king; let it be, I pray thee, thy word as the word of one of them—and thou hast spoken good.' 14 And Micaiah saith, 'Jehovah liveth; surely that which Jehovah saith unto me—it I speak.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 22:1-14
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.