Bible Commentaries
1 Kings 22

Verses 1-40

1 Kings 22:1-40 . Ahab’ s Attack on Ramoth-gilead and his Death.— The death of Ahab must have taken place before or during the year 854 B.C., when the battle of Qarqara was fought, and his name is mentioned in the Assyrian inscription (p. 69). The question is, did he take part in that battle as a vassal of Bir’ idri (Ben-hadad) before or after the war related in 20. In the latter case his death was probably later in 854 B.C. The chapter is a continuation of the latter case his 20, and from the same source with additions. Jehoshaphat, whose son married Ahab’ s daughter ( 2 Kings 8:18), is present as Ahab’ s ally. Here, as in 1 Kings 20, 21, there is no allusion to the Baal worship. Ahab’ s prophets are prophets of Yahweh, and the king can muster four hundred. The rivalry is between true and false prophecy. It is not known where Ramoth-gilead (the heights of G.) actually was. It was a most important place, mentioned ( 1 Kings 4:13) in the list of Solomon’ s provinces, and in 2 Kings 9:2; 2 Kings 9:14 as the scene of the anointing of Jehu, so that it had been evidently retaken from the Syrians. The general opinion that it is the modern Es Salt has not much to recommend it, this being too far S. (1 Kings 13 ff.). Micaiah, the son of Imlah, is the one true prophet. His vision (1 Kings 19) may be compared with the scene in Job when the sons of God present themselves before Him ( Job 1:6). Whether the prophets tell the truth or no, it is acknowledged that they are inspired by Yahweh ( 1 Kings 22:24). The Chronicler’ s account of Micaiah’ s prophecy and of the battle is given in 2 Chronicles 18. There Jehoshaphat’ s cry ( 1 Kings 22:32) is explained ( 2 Chronicles 18:31) as a prayer which God answered. Ahab’ s death is told in a manner creditable to him. He bore himself bravely, and was the soul of the battle. 1 Kings 22:38 looks like an addition. Elijah’ s words in 1 Kings 21:19 were not fulfilled, for Ahab was buried at Samaria. Even here, the point that the dogs were to lick up his blood where they had done that of Naboth, i.e. outside Jezreel, was not made.

Verses 41-50

1 Kings 22:41-50 . Reigns of Jehoshaphat of Judah and Ahaziah of Israel,— These reigns are related in the usual annalistic style.

1 Kings 22:47 , which says there was no king in Edom, is very obscure. It seems to imply that Jehoshaphat owned Edom, and ruled by his own nominee, but in 2 Kings 3 we read of a king of Edom.

1 Kings 22:48 . On Ophir and Ezion-geber, see 1 Kings 9:26; 1 Kings 9:28. The Chronicler ( 2 Chronicles 20:37) says that the ships were wrecked as a punishment for Jehoshaphat’ s alliance with the king of Israel. The book concludes abruptly, and there is no real gap between 1 and 2 K.; indeed 1 Kings 22:51-53 should really be joined to 2 Kings 1:1.