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| .1
¶ And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
.2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. .3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria? .4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. |
3 - 8 See below. 4 -Ramoth-gilead See on 2ki0914. 4 - I am as thou art For comments on the next few verses see 2ch18. |
| 3-8 Ramothgilead was a Levitical and free town on the north border of Gad (De 4:43; Jos 21:38), on the site of the present Salt Lake, in the province of Belka. It lay within the territories of the Israelitish monarch, and was unjustly alienated; but whether it was one of the cities usurped by the first Ben-hadad, which his son had promised to restore, or was retained for some other reasons, the sacred historian has not mentioned. In the expedition which Ahab meditated for the recovery of this town, the aid of Jehoshaphat was asked and promised (see 2Ch 18:3). Previous to declaring hostilities, it was customary to consult the prophets (... 1Sa 28:8); and Jehoshaphat having expressed a strong desire to know the Lord's will concerning this war, Ahab assembled four hundred of his prophets. These could not be either the prophets of Baal or of Ashteroth (1Ki 18:19), but seem (v12) to have been false prophets, who conformed to the symbolic calf-worship of Jehovah. Being the creatures of Ahab, they unanimously predicted a prosperous issue to the war. But dissatisfied with them, Jehoshaphat inquired if there was any true prophet of the Lord. Ahab agreed, with great reluctance, to allow Micaiah to be summoned. He was the only true prophet then to be found residing in Samaria, and he had to be brought out of prison (v26), into which, according to JOSEPHUS, he had been cast on account of his rebuke to Ahab for sparing the king of Syria. (JFB Commentary) | |
| .5
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at
the word of the LORD to day.
.6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. |
5 -
Enquire
Jehoshaphat acts pious 1ki2243. Compare
2ch1703-9,
2ch1903-11,
2ch2005-32.
6 -Prophets Because the request was for the word of the Lord (Yahweh), these would probably not have been prophets of baal. 6 - Lord shall deliver it Here "Lord" is from 'adonai which includes pagan lords. |
| 7 And Jehoshaphat said,
Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire
of him?
.8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah. 10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. |
7 -
Prophet
of the Lord ... enquire Jehoshaphat was
already in an alliance through the marriage of his son to their daughter,
Athaliah.
7 - Of the Lord Jehoshaphat used the word Yahweh for "Lord." "Baal" actually means "lord" or "master." So Jehoshaphat recognized that not all prophets are divinely inspired. Both the true and the false prophets used the term Yahweh after this. Thus both claimed to be true prophets. See verses 8, 11, 12, 14-17, and so on. 8 - Micaiah "The Jews [according to Josephus] suppose that it was this prophet who reproved Ahab for dismissing Ben-hadad, 1Ki 20:35, &c. And that it was because of the judgments with which he had threatened him, that Ahab hated him." (Clarke commentary) 10 - Void place Literally ""a threshing-floor," formed at the gate of Samaria." (JFB) 10 - Entrance This followed a royal banquet 2ch1802. 10 - Gate The city administrative and legislative center. See 2sa 1502, 2sa1908, ru0401, ps12705. |
| .11
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said,
Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou
have consumed them.
.12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand. |
11
- Horns of iron Probably one for each king as a symbol of
the destruction of the Syrians. Horns may symbolize strength as an animal
may have de3317, 1sa0201.
As national powers see da0707,8,24,
zc0118.
11 - Thus saith the Lord Maybe Zedekiah thought it sounded good. |
| .13
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying,
Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one
mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and
speak that which is good.
.14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak. .15 ¶ So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD? |
13
- Declare good Micaiah was in danger. However, to "declare
good" when the Lord had not given him such a message would be to reject
his divine calling. This reminds us of the decision of Baalim nu2218.
True prophets are generally not liked because their messages conflict with those who need them. 15 - Shall we go? With all the evidence that this was a bad idea, why would Micaiah say, go? The problem is clarified in the next verse. Ahab knew what was right. Compare 2th0211. |
| .17
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have
not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return
every man to his house in peace.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil? .19 And he said, Hear thou therefore 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 hand and on his left. |
17
- Have not a shepherd In ez34.
Shepherds were not faithful to the sheep. Here the king (represented as
a shepherd) would die.
18 - Prophesy no good Perhaps Jehoshaphat thought that the prophet could make something happen by his prediction. 19 - I saw the Lord A vision which may use symbols. Compare jb0106-12, mt2533. Isaiah saw the Lord in the temple is06. Sitting on the throne implies judgment re04. |
| 20 And the LORD said,
Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And
one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
.21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. 23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee. |
21
- Came a spirit Not often do we see the heavenly actions.
Compare jb0106,7
22 - Lying spirit Because God is in control, what He permits may be described as what He does. The false prophets had chosen to to believe their lie. The lying spirit first enticed Eve in the garden ge0304 and we see it again in the rebellion of King Saul 1sa1614, 1sa1810. See the note at the bottom of this page. |
| .24
But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek,
and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. .26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; 27 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 come in peace. .28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. |
24
-
Zedekiah ... smote We can see the character of this man
mt0720.
Also ga0519-23.
25 - Thou shalt see When trouble comes the question as to who was a true prophet would be clear. Ahab would be defeated and Zedekiah would suffer. 27 - Prison Ahab reveals his wicked character. He not only refused to listen to the prophet and save his own life puts the man in prison! |
| .29
¶ So the king of Israel [Ahab] and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went
up to Ramothgilead.
30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. 31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. |
"Although Jehoshaphat in a moment
of weakness had rashly promised to join the king of Israel in his war against
the Syrians, yet his better judgment led him to seek to learn the will
of God concerning the undertaking. 'Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of
the Lord today,' he suggested to Ahab. In response, Ahab called together
four hundred of the false prophets of Samaria, and asked of them, 'Shall
we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear?' And they answered,
'Go up; for God will deliver it into the kings's hand.' Verses
4, 5.
Unsatisfied, Jehoshaphat sought to learn for a certainty the will of God. 'Is there not here a prophet of the Lord,' he asked, 'that we might inquire of him?' Verse 6. 'There is yet one man, Micaiah to son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord,' Ahab answered; 'but I hate him' for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.' ... verse 8. Jehoshaphat was firm in his request...." (Prophets and Kings, p195.) |
| .34
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel
between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of
his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. 36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country. |
34
- Certain man At a venture. But certainly God was in control
and allowed this to happen. Ahab had demonstrated that he was totally committed
to evil.
34 - Carry me out But continuing life was not his. The prophet had indeed spoken the words of the Lord, verse 28. |
| .37
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king
in Samaria.
38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. |
37
- Samaria This was where kings were buried beginning with
Omri 1ki1628,
2ki1035,
1309,
1416.
38 - Pool of Samaria Archaeologists believe they have found this pool at the northern wing of the palace of Ahab. 38 - Dogs Compare 2ki0910. 38 - They washed Rather "The harlots washed ..." 39 - Ivory house Compare ivory buildings ps04508, am0315. Ivory carvings were found in Ahab's palace. 40 - Ahaziah We read about him beginning in verse 51. |
| .41
¶ And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the
fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. .43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. .44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. |
43
- High places See on 2ki1203.
44 - Peace The formal alliance was sealed by the family marriages of Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat 2ki0818,27, 2ch2106. Visits between the two families indicate a continuing friendship 1ki2202 (v2 above) 2ki0829, 2ch1801,2. (and in battle:) 1ki2204, 2ch1803, 2ch2205,6. Also in trade 2ch2035,6. |
| .45
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed,
and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Judah?
.46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land. .47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king. .48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber. 49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not. .50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. |
45
- Warred ... In the book of the chronicles. Yes, second book,
chapters 17 to 21 2ch17.
46 - Sodomites See on 1ki1424, 1ki1512. 50 - Jehoram ... his son As coregent. |
| .51
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth
year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done. |
51
- Ahaziah ... of Ahab - The history of the Northern Kingdom
resumes at this point.
51 - Two years That is, parts of two years. |
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Following are comments to a lady who emphasizes the Spirit of God.
Spirit of God If I understand correctly, you feel that I do not believe that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. I decided to do study the topic. I’ll try to make this as brief as possible. I did a search and found that the phrase “Spirit of God” appears 26 times in the KJV Bible. I think we agree on the great majority of such verses. Here is the first significant one:
Who? You asked me who is the comforter? etc. I believe it is the Holy Spirit who we receive as a gift when Christ went to heaven.I'm sure you agree.
2Ch
24:20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada
the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith
God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper?
because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
We
cannot expect the blessings of the Holy Spirit if we disobey the commandments
of the Lord.
Matt. 3:16 The Spirit of God descended on Jesus. There is no question here. I just mention it because it is so precious!
1 Cor. 2:16, 17 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. [We are responsible for the bodies God has given].
Acts 19:1-8 Apollos found some disciples who did not know about the Holy Spirit. They had been baptized. After Paul explained, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and spoke in tongues. The result was preaching in the synagogue. I understand the tongues here as not only languages but as confirmation that they had the blessing given in Acts 2.
Spirit
of the Lord The phrase appears 31 times.
Judges
3:10 Joshua was blessed as Moses had been.
1
Kings 22:21-23 There is also an evil spirit, (Satan, Rev. 12:9; Rev.
20:2; Luke 4:2). Click Above.
