Dt – Ahab King of Isra’el 1 Kings 16:29-34, 22:1-40 and 2 Chronicles 18:1-34

Ahab King of Isra’el
First Kings 16:29-34, 22:1-40 and  Second Chronicles 18:1-34

Ahab king of Isra’el DIG: Why is this Ahab’s biggest sin (see Deuteronomy 7:1-4)? Why not rebuild Jericho (see Joshua 6:17-19 and 26)? What did Hiel do to his sons? How could a true prophet of ADONAI first predict victory and then disaster?

REFLECT: Is your competitive edge high or low or medium? How do you channel it? Would Yeshua ask us to annihilate unbelievers today (see Matthew 5:44-45)? Why the change? How do you witness to people who say, “My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts!”

The difficulty was not that Ahab couldn’t understand what God wanted,
but that he didn’t want to understand.

The attempt by Jehoshaphat and Ahab to recapture Ramoth Gilead from the Syrians is a very interesting story involving the weaving together of two different accounts. Although overtly about the war, it primarily shows that ADONAI fulfills His prophetic word despite all human effort to the contrary. In this case, that word led to contrasting results, bringing death to Ahab (Second Chronicles 18:33-34), but a miraculous deliverance for Jehoshaphat (Second Chronicles 18:31-32).⁴⁰⁰

The background of the king: It was in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah that Ahab the son of Omri began his rule over Isra’el; he ruled twenty-two years over Isra’el in Samaria (First Kings 16:29). Ahab was the last king to gain the throne during Asa’s reign.

The significance of his reign: Ahab did what was evil from ADONAI’s perspective, outdoing all his predecessors in wickedness. As bad as his father Omri was, Ahab was far worse. But then, as if it had been a trifling thing for him to commit the sins of Jeroboam (to see link click Dd – Golden Calves at Dan and Bethel), he took as his wife Jezebel the daughter of Etba’al (meaning, with Ba’al) king of the Sidonians and went and served Ba‘al and worshiped him. Ahab moved from the corruption of ADONAI, which was true worship, to the worship of another god altogether. What we have now was not a corruption of the true religion, the worship of the golden calf, to a brand new religion introduced altogether. A brand new religion with a brand new god, introduced here for the first time.⁴⁰¹ He erected an altar for Ba‘al in the house of Ba‘al, which he had built in Samaria. Ahab also set up an Asherah pole (First Kings 16:30-33a).

Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab: Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, which had blinded him to the reality that Ahab was a man cold heartedly opposed to the ways of ADONAI. And the king of Judah allied himself with Ahab by marriage. This marriage was between Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram and Ahab’s daughter Athaliah (Second Chronicles 18:1. In the ancient Near East, marriage was typically viewed as more than the union of two individuals; it was a bond between two families. In the case of royal families, such marriages also formed political alliances between nations. Since, on this occasion, peace had come after fifty years of hostilities, to many it must have been welcome at any price. Though this practice was common, Ha’Shem had prohibited His people from intermarrying with idolaters because it would inevitably lead them into apostasy (see Bx – Solomon’s Wives).⁴⁰²

For three years there was no war between Syria and Isra’el. But in the third year Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went down from Jerusalem to see Ahab, the king of Isra’el, in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead. Ahab had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Syria?” So Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead.” Ahab may have been motivated by the Syrian king’s failure to observe the terms of his treaty with Isra’el (First Kings 20:34), but whatever the reason, Jehoshaphat fully supported the northern king, saying: I am as you are, my people are as your people, my horses as your horses; we will join you in the war (1 Kgs 22:1-4; 2 Chron 18:2-3)? But despite the king’s well-intentioned motives, he provides yet another example of the unacceptable unity between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of Darkness.

Misleading prophecies: But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Isra’el, “First seek the counsel of ADONAI.” At first, Ahab seemed quite willing to listen, though not apparently with any intention of complying with what he heard. Therefore, he brought together the prophets, about four hundred men, probably belonging to the group of Ba’al and Asherah prophets that formed a kind of government department in Isra’el. Ahab asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?” They all promised victory. “Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.” But Jehoshaphat didn’t trust the prophets of Ba’al, so he asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?” Ahab answered, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Micaiah appears nowhere else in Scripture but here. “The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied. Yet, Micaiah was well known to Ahab. So the king of Isra’el called one of his officials and said: Bring Micaiah at once (1 Kings 22:5-9; Second Chronicles 18:4-8).

Dressed in their royal robes, Ahab and Jehoshaphat were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. Now Zedekiah, son of Kenaanah, one of the prophets of Ba’al, had made iron horns, and he declared: This is what ADONAI says: With these you will gore the Syrians until they are destroyed. All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand” (First Kings 22:10-12; Second Chronicles 18:9-11).

Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said: As surely as ADONAI lives, I can tell him only what my God says to me (First Kings 18:13-14; Second Chronicles 18:12-13).

Micaiah’s prophecy: When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?” “Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.” Ahab then became suspicious of that one who had always opposed him, so the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of ADONAI.” Then Micaiah answered: I saw all Isra’el scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. Then Abab said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only evil (Hebrew: ra’ah)?” Unfortunately for Ahab, Ha’Shem felt the same way about him, and the corresponding disaster (Hebrew: ra’ah) (First Kings 18:15-17a and 18; Second Chronicles 18:14-16a and 17)? How could a true prophet of ADONAI first predict victory and then disaster? Simply put, Micaiah gave his first prophecy of success to Ahab in order to comply with the divine desire to see the king lured to his death; his second message of judgment was actually the expected outcome of the battle.⁴⁰³

Miciah finished his prophecy by declaring: ADONAI said: These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace (1 Kgs 18:17b; 2 Chron 18:16b). Micaiah’s message was seen as a traditional picture of Isra’el as God’s flock being shepherded by her leaders. In this case, however, Isra’el was without her Master. The tragedy of this kind was neither new nor an isolated event (Num 27:16-17; Ezeki’el 34:5), but it was a situation for which YHVH was deeply concerned and ultimately led to the coming of the Good Shepherd. When Yeshua landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things (Mark 6:34).

To reinforce his message, Micaiah went on to describe Isra’el’s true Master in His heavenly court, with the purpose of underlining God’s sovereign control over His people. In this case, there was also an ironic contrast with the two kings sitting on their thrones, dressed in their royal robes. The heavenly court scene provided a setting for explaining God’s purpose for the false prophets of Ba’al. So Micaiah continued: Therefore, hear the word of ADONAI: I saw YHVH sitting on his throne with all the heavenly armies of angels standing on his right and on his left. And ADONAI asked: Who will entice Ahab king of Isra’el into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there? One suggested this, and another that. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before ADONAI and said: I will entice him. “By what means?” ADONAI asked. “I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,” he said. “You will succeed in enticing him,” said ADONAI. “Go and do it.” So now ADONAI has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. ADONAI has decreed disaster (Hebrew: ra’ah) for you (First Kings 18:19-23; Second Chronicles 18:18-22).

Dear Wise and Loving Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your many great qualities. You have steadfast love (Psalms 63:3). Your Almighty power is unbeatable! ADONAI, God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand and no one can stand against You (Second Chronicles 20:6) and From His mouth comes a sharp sword – so that with it He may strike down the nations -and He shall rule them with an iron rod, and He treads the winepress of the furious wrath of Elohei-Tzva’ot (Revelation 19:15). All wisdom is in Your hands (Colossians 2:3) and You know every detail and all that will happen in the future (Dani’el 7 and 2:31-45).

It is important to not just ask God for advice, as Jehoshaphat did, but to act on it. You always give the best and wisest advice. A humble heart is important in following You, no matter what position we hold. You humbled the mighty King Nebuchadnezzar and he lived to praise You for it. May we also learn the lessons You give us and stay humble. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, because all His works are right and His ways just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride (Dani’el 4:21). Thank You for Your great love. We will keep our hearts humble and follow you always. For the One who sits at Your right hand. Amen

This strange incident can only be understood against the background of other passages like this in the TaNaKh, especially Deuteronomy 13:11 and Ezeki’el 14:1-11. Both of these passages speak of people being enticed by false prophets while being involved with idolatry. Ezeki’el 14:1-11 is especially appropriate, since it describes Ha’Shem enticing a prophet to prophecy as a judgment against idolatry and in order to purify Isra’el. It seems therefore that the words of the false prophets here are God’s response to Ahab’s trust in false gods and a condemnation of his idolatry. Ahab was known for his idol worship (First Kings 16:30-33, 21:22 and 26) and his commitment to evil. ADONAI had already declared death (Second Chronicles 18:19) and disaster (Second Chronicles 18:22) through Elijah (First Kings 21:21), which the false prophets were unwittingly putting into effect. In the B’rit Chadashah we see similar examples of this same principle in Second Thessalonians 2:9-12 and Revelation 13:13-14.⁴⁰⁴

The rejection of Micaiah’s prophecy: Then Zedekiah, son of Kena’anah, went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. His treatment of Micaiah is strikingly similar to that inflicted on Yeshua in front of the high priest (see the commentary on The Life of Christ Li – Annas Questions Jesus). “Which way did the spirit from ADONAI go when he went from me to speak to you” Ahab asked. Micaiah replied: You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room. Ahab had had enough of Micaiah, so he sent him to prison: Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the mayor of the city of Samaria, and to Joash a city official, and say, “This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.” The difficulty was not that Ahab couldn’t understand what God wanted, but that he didn’t want to understand. Micaiah once again placed himself under Moshe’s standards for a prophet (see the commentary on Deuteronomy Dk – A Prophet Like Moses): If you ever return safely, ADONAI has not spoken through me. Then Micaiah turned to the crowd at the gate and defiantly shouted: Mark my words, all you people (First Kings 18:24-28; Second Chronicles 18:23-27).

The summary of his reign: Indeed, Ahab did more to anger ADONAI the God of Isra’el, than all the kings of Isra’el preceding him. As an example, it was during his time that Hi’el of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of his firstborn son Aviram and erected its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub. This was in keeping with the word of ADONAI spoken through Joshua the son of Nun (First Kings 16:33b-34). This was a fulfillment of Joshua 6:26. The reason to insert this little account about the rebuilding of Jericho, between the account of Ahab and the account of Elijah is to show the disposition of the people in that they were willing to actively go against God’s decree. With the loss of his first son he should have known not to go any further. Yet he tested God to the point of losing his second son. This put the reign of Abab under a cloud and sentence of death.⁴⁰⁵

The death of the king: One last time Ahab prepares to engage his old enemy Syria in battle. So the king of Isra’el and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead to wage war against the Syrians. By entering into battle, Ahab fulfilled the original prophecy (Second Chronicles 18:20), and brought judgment on himself. Then Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Isra’el disguised himself and went into battle (First Kings 22:29-30: Second Chronicles 18:28-29). Many are the plans of a man’s heart. But it is ADONAI’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21), is a fitting summary of the outcome of the battle as Jehoshaphat’s deliverance and Ahab’s death will attest.

Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Isra’el.” When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they mistakenly thought, “Surely this is the king of Isra’el.” So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out, ADONAI helped him. Jehoshaphat’s cry of desperation is understood to be a prayer (see Bn – Solomon’s Prayer of Intercession): When your people go out to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to You toward this City that You have chosen and the Temple You have built for Your Name, then hear their prayer and their plea from heaven and uphold their case (2 Chron 6:34-35). And God drew them away (Hebrew: suth, meaning to lure or entice) from him. When the chariot commanders realized that Jehoshaphat was not the king of Isra’el, they stopped pursuing him (1 Kgs 22:31-33; 2 Chron 18:30-32).⁴⁰⁶

But there was to be no escape for Ahab. Just when it seemed that he might escape, an archer shot an arrow at random and hit Ahab between the sections of his armor, mortally wounding Isra’el’s king. Ahab slowly bled to death as the battle continued. The implication is plain; the random arrow striking a precise target was an act of God which fulfilled the prophecy of Micaiah. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and then at sunset he died. As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: “Every man to his town. Every man to his land” (First Kings 22:34-36; Second Chronicles 18:33-34). So while Ahab was lured into judgment, Jehoshaphat was led out of it through prayer.

So the king was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there. They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of ADONAI had declared (First Kings 21:19). Of course, that had not been a random death in the course of battle, but a divine judgment. Elijah had predicted what would happen, but the king had ignored Micaiah’s warning and Ahab paid the price. He could not hide from the consequences of his own decision.⁴⁰⁷ As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king (First Kings 22:37-40).

This is what happens to someone who rejects God’s Word and follows his own plans instead, in contradiction to God’s will. Notice the sovereignty (and the irony) of God’s justice! In Syria, they called it a lucky shot, but in Isra’el, the people knew better. Ahab was able to fool the Syrians, but he was not able to fool God. The bow drawn at random was released according to divine providence. Once Ha’Shem had determined that Ahab would die, he might as well have ridden into battle with a huge target pained on his chest. The arrow of divine judgment always finds its mark!

Ahab’s “unlucky” death (as it must have seemed to the king himself) vindicate the Word of God. The LORD had spoken truthfully through his prophet when he promised that it would Ahab’s life for Ben-Hadad’s (First Kings 20:42). ADONAI had spoken truthfully through the prophet Elijah when he promised that the dogs would lick up Ahab’s blood (First Kings 21:19). YHVH had spoken truthfully through the prophet Micaiah when he promised that Ahab would not return home safely from battle (First Kings 22:28). And just as Micaiah had promised, the sheep of Isra’el were left without a shepherd (First Kings 22:17).

The lesson is easily drawn: do not reject the Word of God; do not resist His will. The Scripture says that we need to confess our sins (First John 1:8-9), and believe in Yeshua Messiah as our Lord and Savior (First Corinthians 15:3-8). If we know this, then we should not continue to sin against our better judgment. For example, having a sexual relationship outside of marriage, carrying a grudge, or speaking falsely are sins against the holiness of God. If we know the will of God about such things and then do as we please, we are as foolish as Ahab! And we must not let Ahab’s epitaph become our own! Ultimately, Ahab was a man who heard from God yet did not act on the revelation he received. By the grace of ADONAI, may it not be said of us that we heard from God but did not believe Him or live for Him.⁴⁰⁸