Matthew Henry's Commentary – Chapter 22
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Chapter 22

This chapter finishes the history of Ahab’s reign. It was promised in the close of the foregoing chapter that the ruin of his house should not come in his days, but his days were soon at an end. His war with the Syrians at Ramoth-Gilead is that which we have an account of in this chapter. I. His preparations for that war. He consulted, 1. His privy-council, 1 Kgs. 22:1-3. 2. Jehoshaphat, 1 Kgs. 22:4. 3. His prophets. (1.) His own, who encouraged him to go on this expedition (1 Kgs. 22:5, 6), Zedekiah particularly, 1 Kgs. 22:11, 12. (2.) A prophet of the Lord, Micaiah, who was desired to come by Jehoshaphat (1 Kgs. 22:7, 8), sent for (1 Kgs. 22:9-14), upbraided Ahab with his confidence in the false prophets (1 Kgs. 22:15), but foretold his fall in this expedition (1 Kgs. 22:16-18), and gave him an account how he came to be thus imposed upon by his prophets, 1 Kgs. 22:19-23. He is abused by Zedekiah (1 Kgs. 22:24, 25), and imprisoned by Ahab, 1 Kgs. 22:26-28. II. The battle itself, in which, 1. Jehoshaphat is exposed. But, 2. Ahab is slain, 1 Kgs. 22:29-40. In the close of the chapter we have a short account, (1.) Of the good reign of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 1 Kgs. 22:41-50. (2.) Of the wicked reign of Ahaziah king of Israel, 1 Kgs. 22:51-53.