1 Kings 22:22

New Living Translation

"‘How will you do this?' the Lord asked. "And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab's prophets to speak lies.' "‘You will succeed,' said the Lord . ‘Go ahead and do it.'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“The Lord asked him, ‘How?’

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.'

King James Version
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.

English Standard Version
And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?' And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.'

New Century Version
"The Lord asked, ‘How will you do it?' "The spirit answered, ‘I will go to Ahab's prophets and make them tell lies.' "So the Lord said, ‘You will succeed in tricking him. Go and do it.'"

New English Translation
He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.'

Amplified Bible
"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 the LORD said, 'You are to entice him and also succeed. Go and do so.'

New American Standard Bible
"And the LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You shall entice him, and you will also prevail. Go and do so.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayd, I will goe out, and be a false spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. Then he sayd, Thou shalt entise him, and shalt also preuayle: goe forth, and doe so.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to him, ‘How?' And he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, ‘You shall entice him and also prevail. Go out and do so.'

Contemporary English Version
"I'll make Ahab's prophets lie to him." "Good!" the Lord replied. "Now go and do it."

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai asked, ‘How?' and he answered, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' Adonai said, ‘You will succeed in enticing him. Go, and do it.'

Darby Translation
And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice [him], and also succeed: go forth, and do so.

Easy-to-Read Version
The spirit answered, ‘I will go to Ahab's prophets and cause them to tell lies.' So the Lord said, ‘Yes, that will fool Ahab. Go out and do that.'

George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to him, By what means? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said to him, You shall persuade him and prevail also; go forth and do so.

Good News Translation
‘How?' the Lord asked. The spirit replied, ‘I will go and make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.' The Lord said, ‘Go and deceive him. You will succeed.'"

Lexham English Bible
He said, ‘I will go out and I will be a false spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, ‘You shall entice and succeed, go out and do so.'

Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to him, By what means? And he said, I will go out and shall be a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said, You shall entice him , and also you are able. Go out and do so.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The LORDE sayde vnto him: Wherwith? He sayde vnto him: I wyll go forth, and be a false sprete in the mouth of all his prophetes. He saide: Thou shalt disceaue him, and shalt be able: go forth and do so.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said, How? And he said, I will go out and be a spirit of deceit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Your trick will have its effect on him: go out and do so.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he sayde: I will go out, and be a false spirite in the mouth of all his prophetes. He sayde, Thou shalt persuade him and preuayle: Go foorth then, & do euen so.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto him: Wherewith? And he said: I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said: Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also; go forth, and do so.

King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto him, Wherewith? And hee sayd, I will goe foorth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt perswade him, and preuaile also: Goe forth, and doe so.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to him, Whereby? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a false spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt deceive him, yea, and shalt prevail: go forth, and do so.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.

Berean Standard Bible
And he replied, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' 'You will surely entice him and prevail,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide, Y schal go out, and Y schal be a spirit of leesyng in the mouth of alle hise prophetis. And the Lord seide, Thou schalt disseyue, and schalt haue the maystry; go thou out, and do so.

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith, I go out, and have been a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets; and He saith, Thou dost entice, and also thou art able; go out and do so.

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to him, How? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to him, With what? 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.

World English Bible
Yahweh said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.'

New King James Version
The LORD said to him, "In what way?' So he said, "I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, "You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'

New Life Bible
The Lord said to him, ‘How?' And he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all those who will tell what will happen in the future.' Then the Lord said, ‘You are to lead him, and do well. Go and do so.'

New Revised Standard
‘How?' the Lord asked him. He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then the Lord said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto him - Wherewith? And he said - I will go forth, and become a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets, - So he said, - Thou mayest persuade, yea and prevail, go forth, and do so.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: I will go forth, and be a lying spirit, in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said: Thou shalt deceive him, and shalt prevail: go forth, and do so.

Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to him, 'By what means?' And he said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, 'You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go forth and do so.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"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.'

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?" Micaiah replied sarcastically, "Yes, go up and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!" ¹⁶ But the king replied sharply, "How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord ?" ¹⁷ Then Micaiah told him, "In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.'" ¹⁸ "Didn't I tell you?" the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. "He never prophesies anything but trouble for me." ¹⁹ Then Micaiah continued, "Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. ²⁰ And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?' "There were many suggestions, ²¹ and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!' ²² "‘How will you do this?' the Lord asked. "And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab's prophets to speak lies.' "‘You will succeed,' said the Lord . ‘Go ahead and do it.' ²³ "So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom." ²⁴ Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. "Since when did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?" he demanded.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a lying spirit: Job 1:8-11, Job 2:4-6, John 8:44, Acts 5:3, Acts 5:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 1 Timothy 4:1, 1 John 4:6, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 12:10, Revelation 13:14, Revelation 16:13, Revelation 16:14, Revelation 20:3, Revelation 20:7, Revelation 20:10

Thou shalt: 1 Kings 22:20, Judges 9:23, Job 12:16, Psalms 109:17, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12, Revelation 17:17

Reciprocal: Exodus 4:21 - I will harden 1 Samuel 16:14 - evil spirit 1 Samuel 26:19 - stirred 1 Kings 22:6 - Go up 2 Kings 3:13 - the prophets 2 Chronicles 18:21 - General 2 Chronicles 32:15 - persuade Nehemiah 6:14 - on the prophetess Job 2:7 - So went Psalms 78:49 - by sending Psalms 141:4 - Incline not Proverbs 19:27 - General Isaiah 9:15 - the prophet Isaiah 44:25 - frustrateth Jeremiah 27:14 - they Daniel 2:9 - for Hosea 9:8 - but Zechariah 13:2 - cause Matthew 8:32 - Go Mark 5:13 - gave Luke 8:32 - he suffered Acts 13:6 - a false 2 Corinthians 4:4 - blinded 1 Timothy 4:2 - lies 2 Timothy 3:8 - resist

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto him, wherewith?.... What way and method did he propose, to persuade Ahab to go up to Ramoth? the Lord is introduced in this visionary narrative as asking this question, not as ignorant of the scheme of the evil spirit, but in order to bring it out, and lead on to the following account:

and he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets; put them on encouraging Ahab to go up, and promising him success, as he had in former battles with the king of Syria, and which might both encourage them to give forth such a prediction, and him to believe it to be true; this proposal was quite agreeable to the character of the devil, as the father of lies:

and he said, thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also; not only make use of this artifice to persuade, but succeed also; the Lord knew that what he should suggest to the prophets, and they should deliver to Ahab, would be agreeable to his inclination, nor would he do anything in the course of his providence to hinder its taking effect:

go forth, and do so; which was giving leave to try his skill in the art of persuasion, in which he knew he would succeed, and bring on the righteous judgment of God upon Ahab; with this compare John 13:27.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The difficulties which attach to this passage are considerable. On the one hand, it is hard to suppose one of the holy Angels a “lying spirit;” on the other, hard to find Satan, or an evil spirit, included among “the host of heaven” 1 Kings 22:19 and acting as the minister of God. Still, Job 1:6; Job 2:1, lend countenance to the latter point, and 2 Thessalonians 2:11 to the former. But it may be doubted whether we ought to take literally, and seek to interpret exactly, each statement of the present narrative. Visions of the invisible world can only be a sort of parables; revelations, not of the truth as it actually is, but of so much of the truth as can be shown through such a medium. The details of a vision, therefore, cannot safely be pressed, anymore than the details of a parable. Portions of each must be accommodations to human modes of thought, and may very inadequately express the realities which they are employed to shadow forth to us.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 22:22. Go forth, and do so. — This is no more than, "God has permitted the spirit of lying to influence the whole of thy prophets; and he now, by my mouth, apprises thee of this, that thou mayest not go and fall at Ramoth-gilead." Never was a man more circumstantially and fairly warned; he had counsels from the God of truth, and counsels from the spirit of falsity; he obstinately forsook the former and followed the latter. He was shown by this parable how every thing was going on, and that all was under the control and direction of God, and that still it was possible for him to make that God his friend whom by his continual transgressions he had made his enemy; but he would not: his blood was therefore upon his own head.