Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Ahab is killed in an unsuccessful battle with the Arameans. The reigns of Jehoshaphat king of Judah and Ahaziah king of Israel are described.
II. Photo
Micaiah relates a frightening vision about the battle: “Then he said, ‘I saw all Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd!’”
III. Important Verses
2: In the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah came to visit the king of Israel.
6-9: So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Shall I march upon Ramoth-gilead for battle, or shall I not?” “March,” they said, “and the LORD will deliver it into Your Majesty’s hands.” Then Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there another prophet of the LORD here through whom we can inquire?” And the king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man through whom we can inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only misfortune — Micaiah son of Imlah.” But King Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t say that, Your Majesty.” So the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
19-23: But [Micaiah] said, “I call upon you to hear the word of the LORD! I saw the LORD seated upon His throne, with all the host of heaven standing in attendance to the right and to the left of Him. The LORD asked, ‘Who will entice Ahab so that he will march and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said thus and another said thus, until a certain spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘How?’ the LORD asked him. And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You will entice and you will prevail. Go out and do it.’ So the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours; for the LORD has decreed disaster upon you.”
34-35: Then a man drew his bow at random and he hit the king of Israel between the plates of the armor; and he said to his charioteer, “Turn the horses around and get me behind the lines; I’m wounded.” The battle raged all day long, and the king remained propped up in the chariot facing Aram; the blood from the wound ran down into the hollow of the chariot, and at dusk he died.
37-38: So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria, and they flushed out the chariot at the pool of Samaria. Thus the dogs lapped up his blood and the whores bathed [in it], in accordance with the word that the LORD had spoken.
44: However, the shrines did not cease to function; the people still sacrificed and offered at the shrines.
47: [Jehoshaphat] also stamped out the remaining male prostitutes who had survived in the land from the time of his father Asa.
54: [Ahaziah] worshiped Baal and bowed down to him; he vexed the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.
IV. Outline
1-40. Ahab’s Death
1. Three years of peace
2-5. Jehoshaphat’s tentative agreement to join Israel’s attack on Aram
6. The prophets agree to the plan
7-9. Micaiah is summoned
10-12. The prophets agree to the plan
13-15. Micaiah feigns agreement
16. The king demurs
17-23. Micaiah augurs doom for Israel
24-28. Micaiah is beaten and sentenced to prison
29-36. Ahab is killed; The Israelites are defeated
37. Ahab’s burial
38. Fulfillment of the prophecy
39-40. Summary statement
41-51. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah
41-42. Introductory statement
43. Jehoshaphat follows God
44. Criticism for shrines
45. Criticism for joining Ahab
46. Summary statement
47. Annihilation of male prostitutes
48. Historical background
49-50. Jehoshaphat rejects Ahaziah’s invitation to sail to Ophir
51. Second summary statement
52-54. Ahaziah, king of Israel
52. Introductory statement
53-54. Ahaziah’s evil ways
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
De Vries, Simon John. “1 Kings” Word Biblical Commentary vol. 12 (Waco, Texas: Wordbooks, 1985).
Longe, Burke O. “1 Kings with an Introduction to Historical Literature” Forms of Old Testament Literature vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1984).
Photo taken from http://farm1.static.flickr.com/3/4173262_40621549cb.jpg
