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1 Kings Chapter 22
22:1-3. Probably the Battle of Qarqar, in which the Assyrians fought the Arameans and the Israelites, had kept Ahab
from occupying Ramoth in Gilead after the previous Aramean battles. With the Assyrian threat minimized for the present,
the old antagonism (cf. ch. 20) between Benhadad and Ahab quickly resurfaced. Possession of Ramoth-gilead was the
key to controlling the plain of Jezreel.
22:4. Jehoshaphat of Judah was now legally related to Ahab through the marriage of his son Jehoram (cf. 2 Kin. 8:18,
27) to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Accordingly, Ahab's disputes now became family affairs for all Isreal.
22:6-8. These four hundred prophets were doubtless proponents of the false state religion first instituted by Jeroboam I.
Only Micaiah appears as a true prophet of the Lord.
22:11. The goring horn was a familiar symbol of strong victory. It is found not only in the Scriptures (Dan. 8:7: Mic. 4:13:
Zech. 1:18, 19) but also in the inscriptions and art of the ancient Near East.
22:15. Micaiah apparently gave to the king the words that he wanted. However, the sarcastic tone of his voice was
clearly recognizable, and Ahab demanded that he speak what he really believed (v. 16).
22:17. This parabolic vision depicts the shepherdless Israelite forces trying to find their way home after being defeated
in the battle.
22:19-23. These verses contain a second parabolic vision dramatizing Ahab's sure defeat and death at Ramoth-gilead.
22:30. Ahab never acted on spiritual advice, but he was taking no chances in the upcoming battle.
22:32, 33. Jehoshaphat's "family loyalty" in the face of Micaiah stern warning nearly cost him his life. For his actions he
was severely denounced by God's prophet (2 Chr. 19:1-3).
22:34. The bowman's shot at a venture was a random shot only in the sense that probably did not recognize Ahab as
his target. The Hebrew phrase itself underscores his skill as a marksman.
22:35. Whatever his faults might have been, Ahab did not die as a coward. He did not allow his mortal wound to be
source of discouragement, hence defeat for his troops.
22:37, 38. Various prophecies came to pass at Ahab's dramatic death (20:42; 21:19, 22:17, 20).
22:39. Confirmation of the fact of Ahab's ivory house comes from the excavations at Samaria. Internally, the furniture
was inlaid with ivory panels, the walls were covered with inlaid ivory, and ivory figures and plaques were found in
abundance. Externally, the building was covered with a polished white limestone that in the gleaming sunlight gave the
appearance of ivory to those who approached it. The use of ivory in the various palaces of the ancient Near East is
widely attested. Amos complained that the indolent rich of the northern kingdom in the eighth century B.C. sprawled
themselves out "upon beds of ivory" (Amos 6:4).
22:41-50. Little is said of Jehoshaphat here. For a full account of his life, see the 2 Chronicles 17-20.His later
accompanying of Jehoram of Israel on a campaign across the Jordan is recounted in 2 Kings 3:6-27.
22:48, 49. Jehoshaphat's projected commercial venture with Ahaziah was denounced by God's prophet Elizier (2 Chr.
20:36, 37).Moreover, the ships were destroyed while they were still in port at Ezion-geber. Jehoshaphat wisely refused a
second business proposal by Ahaziah. For Ezion-geber and the merchant ships of Tharshish, see the notes on 9:26
and 10:22. For Ophir, see the note on 9:28.