The Prophet Micaiah inquired of, B. C. 697. B. C. 897. A. M. 3107. 15 So he came to the king. And 18 And the king of Israel said unto A. M. 3107. the king said unto him, Micaiah, Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, || he would prophesy no good concerning me, but 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? 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. Matthew ix. 36. Isaiah vi. 1; Daniel vii. 9. Verses 15, 16. 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 to please thyself, go to the battle, as all thy prophets advise thee, and try the truth of their prediction by thy own experience. The king said, How many times shall I adjure thee?-He had not adjured him before, but now he does; as, probably, observing something in the countenance and gesture of Micaiah, which persuaded him that what he said was rather ironical than the real sentiments of his mind. Verse 17. 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 fed from the enemy. As sheep that have no shep herd-As people that have lost their king. The Lord said, These have no master; let them return, de.-Discharged from the war. This was fulfilled, Terse 36. 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. 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 presence. I saw the Lord sitting on his throneNot with his bodily eyes certainly, for with them he could not see God, but with the eyes of his mind, or rather in a vision. For we must by no means look upon what follows as the relation of an affair really transacted, but merely as an account of a symbolical vision, like that of Peter, (Acts x.,) when he saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him; whereby Micaiah was informed how it came to pass that so many prophets prophesied falsely, or contrary to what the event of things would prove; which was, that these prophets were influenced, not by the Spirit of God, which is the spirit of truth, but by an evil spirit, a spirit of error and falsehood, of flattery and dissimulation. For we should form most unjust ideas of the truth and holiness of God, if we supposed he would really send a spirit of lying into any of his prophets, which they could not distinguish from true inspiration; for this would be to confound false prophecy with true, and to make God the author of moral evil, which he can in no way or manner ever be. It would have been to overturn the whole authority of prophecy; for, if the true prophets had been once actuated by a false spirit, there would have been an end of placing any dependance on them for the future. The whole foundation of their authority would have been overthrown. Verse 18. 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, otherwise he would not have gone to the battle. That he would prophesy no good conVerses 20-22. The Lord said, Who shall percerning me, but evil-Nay, but what evil was it to suade Ahab, &c.-This is not to be understood tell him what would be the event if he proceeded in grossly, as if God were at a loss to find out an exhis expedition, while it was in his own power pedient to accomplish his own designs; nor is it to whether he would proceed or not? The greatest be supposed that there was really any such consultkindness we can do to one that is walking in a dan-ation, before the Divine Majesty, as who should gerous way is to tell him of his danger. be employed to persuade Ahab to undo himself. But this is a symbolical representation, to signify that the Lord resolved to suffer Ahab to be deceived and perish at Ramoth-gilead rather than in any Verse 19. 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 A lying spirit deceives Ahab. A. M. 3107. B. C. 897. B. C. 897. 22 And the LORD said unto him, || the LORD from me to speak unto A. M. 3107. Wherewith? And he said, I will go thee? 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. k 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. 24 ¶ But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and sinote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, m Which way went the Spirit of Judges ix. 23; Job xii. 16; Ezekiel xiv. 9; 2 Thess. ii. 11. 1 Ezek. xiv. 9. other place; in order that he, who sinfully suffered Ben-hadad to escape, might be punished by Benhadad. And there came forth a spirit-An evil || one; and stood before the Lord-This is not to be taken literally. There are, however, evil spirits who are very forward to entice men to their own destruction, and have power so to do, if the Lord do not hinder them. He said, I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets-I will suggest to them that which will deceive them. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail alsoI will give them up into thy hands, and leave them to their own ignorance and wickedness. Go forth, and do so-This is not a command, but only a permission. If we suppose this to be any thing more than a symbolical vision, we must say God permitted this evil spirit to follow his own inclinations, which he knew would have success, and prevail with Ahab to believe he should prosper in this war, wherein God intended he should perish. Ahab's prophets had observed how prosperous he had been in former wars with the king of Syria, and that made them forward to promise him the same success in this also. And Ahab was as forward to believe as they were to promise. Verse 23. 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 prevail and take effect, is owing to the hand of God directing and ordering when and where they shall light, and what shall be the issue of them. || Hath put a lying spirit into the mouth, &c.-Hath permitted a lying spirit to influence these men. Hath spoken evil concerning thee-Hath decreed that thou shalt perish in this war. It may not be amiss to observe here, that "the evil being, named Satan, was little known to the Jewish people till their captivity; and then this history was taught openly as a security against the doctrine of the two principles. The Jewish lawgiver, where he so frequently enumerates and warns the Israelites of 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. the snares and temptations which would draw them to transgress the law of God, never mentions this capital enemy of heaven. Nay, when the form of that sacred history which Moses composed obliged him to treat of Satan's first grand machination against mankind, he entirely hides this wicked spirit under the animal which he made his instrument; but, as the fulness of time drew near, they were made more and more acquainted with this their capital enemy. When Ahab, for the crimes and follies of the people, was suffered to be infatuated, we have the account in the words of Micaiah above. Satan is not here recorded by name; and so we must conclude the people were yet to know little of his history: however, this undertaking sufficiently declared his nature." Div. Leg., vol. iv. p. 279. Verses 24, 25. 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 Spirit of the Lord! Behold, thou shalt go into an inner chamber—Into a secret place; to hide thyself-For fear of being seized and punished as a false prophet, and as the great author and abetter of this pernicious war, and of Ahab's destruction. Probably he went with Ahab to the battle, after which he was glad to shelter himself where he could. Verses 26, 27. 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-Until I return in triumph, which I doubt not I shall, in spite of all his malicious suggestions to the contrary; and then I shall call him to an account for all his lies and impudence. Hard usage for one that would have prevented his ruin! We see here how confident Ahab was of success! He questions not but he should return in peace, forgetting what he himself had said to Ben Jenshaphat and Ahab go B. C. 897. CHAPTER XXII. A. M. 3107. 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. 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 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. Numbers xvi. 29; Deuteron. xviii. 20, 22.7 Or, when he was to disguise himself, and enter into the battle.- 2 Chron. III. 22. hadad, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast: but there was little likelihood of his returning in peace when he left one of God's prophets behind him in prison. Verse 28. 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 the people to be witnesses of it. Verse 29. 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 speak from God, it seemed difficult to him to determine the controversy between them, which, he probably thought, only the event could decide: and partly because the war was just and lawful, being undertaken to recover Ahab's rights, which the Syrian king unjustly detained from him. Verse 30. 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 him. But put thou on thy robes-Thy royal robes, which thou mayest do without danger, because thou art not the object of the rage of the Syrians, nor of this false prophecy. Thus, while he pretended to do honour to Jehoshaphat, and compliment him with the sole command of the army in this action, he hoped to elude the danger, and so defeat the threatening, as if by disguising himself he could escape the divine cognizance, and the judgments that pursued him. || to battle; Ahab is wounded. B. C. 897. 32 And it came to pass, when the A. M. 3107. 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. 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 thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am 10 wounded. P2 Chron. xviii. 31; Prov. xiii. 20.- Heb. in his simplicity, 2 Sam. xv. 11.——9 Heb. joints and the breast-plate.—10 Heb. made sick. Verse 31. 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. Perhaps Ben-hadad only designed to have taken him prisoner, that he might now give him as honourable a treatment as he had formerly received from him. Verses 32, 33. 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 drew their forces from their several quarters toward him. And Jehoshaphat cried out-By his danger God now let him know that he was displeased with him, for joining in confederacy with Ahab. They that associate with evil doers are in danger of sharing in their plagues. When the captains-perceived it was not the king of Israel-This they would easily perceive, either by the words which he spake, when he cried out, or by the difference of his form and countenance from those of Ahab, whom, probably, many of them had seen, and knew well. They turned back from pursuing him-Thus, by his deliverance, God showed him that, though he was displeased with him, he had not deserted him. To him he cried out, not in cowardice, but devotion, and from him his relief came. For God, who has the hearts of all men in his hand, moved them to depart from him, 2 Chron. xviii. 31. In the mean time Ahab, who brought him into this danger, seems to have been in no care to succour him. God is a friend who will not fail us when other friends do. Verse 34. A certain man drew a bow at a ven||ture-Shot at a venture among the army, without Ahab dies of his wound. A. M. 3107. I. KINGS. Good reign of Jehoshaphat. B. C. 897. 35 And the battle 11 increased that I not written in the book of the Chroni- A. M. 3107. day and the king was stayed up incles of the kings of Israel? his chariot against the Syrians, and died at 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaeven: and the blood ran out of the wound intoziah his son reigned in his stead. the 12 midst of the chariot. 41 ¶* And Jehoshaphat the son of B. C. 914. 36 And there went a proclamation through- || Asa began to reign over Judah in the out the host about the going down of the sun, || fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country. 37 So the king died, and 13 was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria. 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: ne 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 thevertheless "the high places were not taken word of the LORD which he spake. ૧ away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places. short history that Ahab would have had some noble qualities in him, if he had not been incurably addicted to idolatry, and other sins and vices. care, or choice, or any design of reaching Ahab, or that it was wholly made of solid ivory, but the other any particular person; and smote the king of Israel materials used in building it were covered, or interbetween the joints of the harness-Where the seve-mixed, or adorned with ivory. It appears by this ral parts of his armour were joined together; the only place about him where this arrow of death could find entrance. No armour is proof against || the darts of divine vengeance. Case the criminal in steel, and it is all one; he that made him can || old, &c.-The intention of the writer of this book make his sword approach him. And that which to us seems altogether casual, comes by the determined counsel of God. Verse 42. Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years 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 king of Judah, he recounts the affairs of Israel under Ahab; who being dead, he returns to the history of the kings of Judah, who were the chief objects of his attention. Verses 35, 36. The battle increased that day-of Israel. Thus having finished the history of Asa, 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 Micaiah's words; and Zedekiah's horns of iron pushing, not the Syrians, but himself into destruction. And there went a proclamation throughout the host-Probably by Jehoshaphat's order, with the consent of the chief captains of Israel. Saying, Every man to his city, &c.—It is to no purpose to attempt any thing more: the king is dead, and the battle ended; and therefore every man has liberty to return to his own city and habit ation. The Syrians also, it is likely, were content to be gone, having slain their capital enemy. By this proclamation the prediction of Micaiah was exactly fulfilled, according to his vision, verse 17. Verse 43. He walked in all the ways of Asa-He took the same care for the government of his king. dom, 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 part, and probably all those which were erected for the worship of idols, appears from 2 Chron. xvii. 9. The people offered--incense yet in the high places-Old corruptions are not eradi. cated without difficulty, especially when they have formerly had the patronage of those that were good, as the high places had of Samuel, Solomon, and some others. Indeed this error was so deeply rooted, that the best of their kings, till Hezekiah's time, connived at it. Verse 38. 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! Verse 39. The ivory house which he made-Not2; and proved of most mischievous consequence to Verses 44-46. Jehoshaphat made peace, &c.With Ahab first, and then with his son. This is noted as a blemish in his government, 2 Chron. xix. e Wicked reign of Ahaziah. B. C. 898. 50 ¶ And Jehoshaphat slept with A. M. 3106. his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead. 51 ¶f Ahaziah the son of Ahab be- B. C. 898. gan 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. 2 Chron. xx. 37.—d Chap. ix. 26.—* Now he begins to reign alone.- 2 Chron. xxí. 1. Verse 40. Chap. xv. 26. Judges ii. 11; Chap. x. 31. his posterity. The remnant of the sodomites-he|| joining with him, by a prophet, he would not be took out of the land-He made a more narrow persuaded to repeat it, or to continue this league search after them than his father had done, who is with him. said to have removed them; but, it appears, some still remained, though without his knowledge. Verse 47. 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 contiqued in Edom from the days of David, who began it until the time of Jehoram, Jehoshaphat's son, who lost this authority. Verses 51, 52. And reigned two years over Israel-Not complete, as appears from 2 Kings iii. 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 was still living; acting according to her wicked counsel. And in the way of Jeroboam-Kept up his idolatry in worshipping the calves. Though he had heard of the ruin of Jeroboam's family, and had seen his own father drawn to his own destruction by the prophets of Baal, who had been often proved to be false prophets, yet he received no instruction, took no warning, but pursued their wicked courses, not in the least amended by all that had befallen them. And Verse 49. Jehoshaphat would not-He had con- provoked the Lord, according to all that his father tracted an amity with this king, and engaged himself had done-Most unhappy parents, that thus help to so far, as to permit him to join with him in this damn their own children's souls! We see by all navy, 2 Chron. xx. 35. But, being chastised, and this, how little the example of parents or ancestors better instructed by his ill success, and the break-is to be valued, where it is opposed to the word and ing of the ships, and being reproved for his sin in will of God! Verse 48. 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 Tharshish. The ships were broken at Ezion-geber-Probably by a storm. 2 121 |