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displeased, because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

d Neh. 2. 2. e Mic. 2. 1, 2. f 2 Sam. 11. 14, 15. Esth. 3. 12, 13. • in the top of. g Deut. 13. 13. Ex. 22. 28. Lev. 24. 15, 16. Matt. 26. 59-66. Acts 6. 1Í. excused. Ahab knew the law, or should have known it, and therefore did ill to ask that which his subject could not grant without sin. Some conceive that Naboth looked upon his earthly inheritance as an earnest of his lot in the heavenly Canaan, and therefore would not part with the former, lest it should amount to a forfeiture of the latter: he seems to have been a conscientious man, who would rather hazard the king's displeasure than offend God; and, probably, was one of the 7000 that had not bowed the knee to Baal, for which, it may be, Ahab owed him a grudge.

III. Ahab's great discontent and uneasiness, hereupon; he was, as before, (ch. 20. 43,) heavy and displeased, (v. 4;) grew melancholy upon it, threw himself upon his bed, would not eat, nor admit company to come to him; he could by no means digest the affront; his proud spirit aggravated the indignity Naboth did him in denying him, as a thing not to be suffered; he cursed the squeamishness of his conscience, which he pretended to consult the peace of, and secretly meditated revenge; nor could he bear the disappointment, it cut him to the heart to be crossed in his desires, and he was perfectly sick for vexation. Note, 1. Discontent is a sin that is its own punishment, and makes men torment themselves; it makes the spirit sad, the body sick, and all the enjoyments sour; it is the heaviness of the heart, and the rottenness of the bones. 2. It is a sin that is its own parent; it arises not from the condition, but from the mind; as we find Paul contented in a prison, so Ahab discontented in a palace; he had all the delights of Canaan, that pleasant land, at command, the wealth of a kingdom, the pleasures of a court, and the honours and powers of a throne; and yet all this avails him nothing without Naboth's vineyard. Inordinate desires expose men to continual vexations, and they that are disposed to fret, be they never so happy, will always find something or other to fret at.

V. 5-16. Nothing but mischief is to be expected when Jezebel enters into the story-that cursed woman, 2 Kings 9. 34.

I. Under pretence of comforting her afflicted husband, she feeds his pride and passion, and blows the coals of his corrup tions. It became her to take notice of his grief, and to inquire into the cause of it, v. 5. Those have forgotten both the duty and affection of the conjugal relation, that interest not themselves in each other's troubles. He tells her what troubled him, (v. 6,) yet invidiously conceals Naboth's reason for his refusal, representing it as peevish, when it was conscientious; I will not give it thee, whereas he said, I may not. What! (says Jezebel, v. 7,) Dost thou govern Israel? Arise, and eat bread. She does well to persuade him to shake off his melancholy, and not to sink under his burden, to be easy and cheerful; whatever was his grief, grieving would not redress it, but pleasantness would alleviate it; her plea is, Dost thou now govern Israel? This is capable of a good sense, "Does it become so great a prince as thou art, to cast thyself down for so small a matter? Thou shamest thyself, and profanest thy crown; it is below thee to take notice of so inconsiderable a thing. Art thou fit to govern Israel, who hast no better a government of thine own passions? Or hast thou so rich a kingdom at command, and canst not thou be without this one vineyard?" We should learn to quiet ourselves, under our crosses, with the thoughts of the mercies we enjoy, especially our hopes of the kingdom. But she meant it in a bad sense, "Dost thou govern Israel, and shall any subject thou hast, deny thee any thing thou hast a mind to? Art thou a king? It is below thee to buy and pay, much more to beg and pray; use thy prerogative, and take by force what thou canst not compass by fair means: instead of resenting the affront thus, revenge it. If thou knowest not how to support the dignity of a king, let me alone to do it; give me but leave to make use of thy name, and I will soon give thee the vineyard of Naboth; right or wrong, it shall be thy own shortly, and cost thee nothing." Unhappy princes those are, and hurried apace toward their ruin, who have those

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people; 10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king: and then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles, who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them: 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

i Lev. 24. 14. Is. 58. 4. 7 Ex. 20. 16. Ps. 27. 12. Prov. 25. 18. Mal. 3. 5. m 2 Kings 9. 26. Ec. 4. 1, Acts 7. 57-59. about them, that stir them up to acts of tyranny, and teach them how to abuse their power.

II. In order to the gratifying of him, she projects and compasses the death of Naboth; no less than his blood will serve to atone for the affront he had given to Ahab, which she thirsts after the more greedily, because of his adherence to the law of the God of Israel. Had she aimed only at his land, her false witnesses might have sworn him out of that by a forged deed: (she could not have set up so weak a title, but the elders of Jezreel would have adjudged it good ;) but the adulteress will hunt for the precious life, Prov. 6. 26. Revenge is sweet; Naboth must die, and die as a malefactor, to gratify it. 1. Never were more wicked orders given by any prince, than these which Jezebel sent to the magistrates of Jezreel, v. 8-10. She borrows the privy seal, but the king shall not know what she will do with it: it is probable this was not the first time he had lent it her, but that with it she had signed warrants for the slaying of the prophets. She makes use of the king's name, knowing the thing would please him when it was done, yet fearing he might scruple the manner of doing it; in short, she commands them, upon their allegiance, to put Naboth to death, without giving them any reason. Had she sent witnesses to inform against him, the judges (who must go secundum allegata et probata-according to allegations and proofs) might have been imposed upon, and their sentence had been rather their unhappiness than their crime; but to oblige them to find the witnesses, sons of Belial, to suborn them themselves, and then to give judgment upon a testimony which they knew to be false, was such an impudent defiance to every thing that is just and sacred, as we hope cannot be paralleled in any story; she must look upon the elders of Jezreel as men perfectly lost to every thing that is honest and honourable, when she expected these orders should be obeyed; but she will put them in a way how to do it, having as much of the serpent's subtlety as she had of his poison.

(1.) It must be done under colour of religion-"Proclaim a fast, signify to your city that you are apprehensive of some dreadful judgment coming upon you, which you must endeavour to avert, not only by prayer, but by finding out and by putting away the accursed thing; take on you to be afraid that there is some great offender among you undiscovered, for whose sake God is angry with your city; charge the people, if they know of any such, on that solemn occasion to inform against him, as they tender the welfare of the city, and at last let Naboth be fastened upon as the suspected person, probably, because he does not join with his neighbours in their worship: That may serve for a pretence to set him on high among the people, to call him to the bar; let proclamation be made, if any one can inform the court against the prisoner, and prove him to be the Achan, they shall be heard; and then let the witnesses appear to give evidence against him." Note, There is no wickedness so vile, so horrid, but religion has sometimes been made a cloak and cover for it. We must not think at all the worse of fasting and praying for their having been sometimes thus abused, but much the worse of those wicked designs that have at any time been carried on under the umbrage of them.

(2.) It must be done under colour of justice too, and with the formalities of a legal process. Had she sent to them to hire some of their banditti, some desperate ruffians to assassinate him, to stab him as he went along the streets in the night, it had been bad enough; but to do it by a course of law, to use that power for the murdering of the innocent, which ought to be their protection, was such a violent perverting of justice and judg ment as yet we are bid not to marvel at, Ec. 5. 8. The crime they must lay to his charge, was blaspheming God and the king; a complicated blasphemy. Sure she could not think to put a blasphemous sense upon the answer he had given to Ahab, as if denying him his vineyard were blaspheming the king, and giving the divine law for the reason, were blaspheming God. No, she pretends not any ground at all for the charge; though

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take "possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it. 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken

n Prov. 1. 10-16. 4. 17. o Ps. 9.12. p c. 13. 32. 2 Chr. 22. 9. c. 22. 38. Ps. 7. 16. Matt. 7. 2. r c. 18. 17.

there was no colour of truth in it, though witnesses must swear it, and Naboth must not be permitted to speak for himself, or cross examine the witnesses, but immediately, under pretence of a universal detestation of the crime, they must carry him out and stone him. His blaspheming God would be the forfeiture of his life, but not of his estate, and therefore he is also charged with treason, in blaspheming the king, for which his estate was to be confiscated, that so Ahab might have his vineyard.

2. Never were wicked orders more wickedly obeyed, than these were by the magistrates of Jezreel. They do not so much as dispute the command, or make any objections against it, though so palpably unjust; but punctually observed all the particulars of it, either because they feared Jezebel's cruelty, or because they hated Naboth's piety, or both. They did as it was written in the letters, (v. 11, 12;) neither made any difficulty of it, nor met with any difficulty in it, but cleverly carried on the villany; they stoned Naboth to death, (v. 13,) and, as it should seem, his sons with him, or after him: for when God came to make inquisition for blood, we find that article in the account, (2 Kings 9. 26,) I have seen the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons. Perhaps they were secretly murdered, that they might not claim their father's estate, or complain of the wrong done him. Let us take occasion from this sad story, (1.) To stand amazed at the wickedness of the wicked, and the power of Satan in the children of disobedience. What a holy indignation may we be filled with, to see wickedness in the place of judgment, Ec. 3. 16. (2.) To lament the hard case of oppressed innocency, and to mingle our tears with the tears of the oppressed that have no comforter, while on the side of the oppressors there is power, Ec. 4. 1. (3.) To commit the keeping of our lives and comforts to God, for innocency itself will not always be our security. (4.) To rejoice in the belief of a judgment to come, in which such wrong judgments as these will be called over. Now we see that there be just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked, (Ec. 8. 14,) but all will be set to rights in the great day.

III. Naboth being taken off, Ahab takes possession of his vineyard. 1. The elders of Jezreel sent notice to Jezebel very unconcernedly, sent it her as a piece of agreeable news, Naboth is stoned, and is dead, v. 14. Here let us observe, that as obsequious as the elders of Jezreel were to Jezebel's orders, which she sent from Samaria for the murder of Naboth, so obsequious were the elders of Samaria afterward to Jehu's orders, which he sent from Jezreel for the murder of Ahab's seventy sons, only that was not done by course of law, 2 Kings 10. 6, 7. Those tyrants, that by their wicked orders debauch the consciences of their inferior magistrates, may, perhaps, find at last the wheel return upon them; and that those who will not stick to do one cruel thing for them, will be as ready to do another cruel thing against them. 2. Jezebel, jocund enough that her plot succeeded so well, brings notice to Ahab, that Naboth is not alive, but dead, therefore Arise, take possession of his vineyard, v. 15. He might have taken possession by one of his officers, but so pleased is he with this accession to his estate, that he will make a journey to Jezreel himself to enter upon it; and it should seem he went in state too, as if he had got some mighty victory, for Jehu remembers long after, that he and Bidkar attended him at this time, 2 Kings 9. 25. If Naboth's sons were all put to death, Ahab thought himself entitled to the estate, ob defectum sanguinis, (as our law expresses it.) If not, yet Naboth dying as a criminal, he claimed it ob delictum criminis. Or if neither would make him a good title, the absolute power of Jezebel will give it him, and who dares oppose it? Might often prevails against right, and wonderful is the divine patience that suffers it to do so. God is certainly of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, and yet for a time keeps silence when the wicked devours the man that is more righteous than he, Hab.

1. 13.

V. 17-29. In these verses, we may observe,

I. The very bad character that is given of Ahab, (v. 25, 26,) which comes in here, to justify God in the heavy sentence passed upon him, and to show that though it was passed upon occasion of his sin, in the matter of Naboth, (which David's sin, in the matter of Uriah, did too much resemble,) yet God would not have punished him so severely, if he had not been guilty of VOL. I.-109

possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee; because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

21 Behold, I 'will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam "the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

s ver. 25. 2 Kings 17. 17. Is. 50. 1. 52. 3. Rom. 7. 14. ¿ c. 14. 10. u Ex. 20. 5, 6. 2 Kings 9. 8. v c. 15. 29. to c. 16. 3, 11.

many other sins, especially idolatry; whereas David, except in that one matter, did that which was right. But for Ahab there was none like him; so ingenious and industrious in sin, and that made a trade of it. He sold himself to work wickedness; that is, he made himself a perfect slave to his lusts, and was as much at their beck and command, as ever any servant was at his master's. He was wholly given up to sin, and, upon condition he might have the pleasures of it, he would take the wages of it, which is death, Rom. 6. 23. Blessed Paul complains that he was sold under sin, (Rom. 7. 14,) as a poor captive against his will; but Ahab was voluntary, he sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he submitted to the dominion of sin. Yet this did not excuse him. Jezebel his wife stirred him up to do wickedly, and made him, in many respects, worse than otherwise he would have been; to what a pitch of impiety did he arrive, who had such tinder of corruption in his heart, and such a tempter in his bosom to strike fire into it. In many things, he did ill, but he did most abominably, in following idols, like the Canaanites; his immoralities were very provoking to God, but his idolatries were especially so. Israel's case was sad, when a prince of such a character as this reigned over them.

II. The message which Elijah was sent with to him, when he went to take possession of Naboth's vineyard, v. 17-19. Hitherto, God kept silence, did not intercept Jezebel's letters, nor stay the process of the elders of Jezreel; but now, Ahab is reproved, and his sin set in order before his eyes. 1. The person sent, is, Elijah. A prophet of lower rank was sent with messages of kindness to him, ch. 20. 13. But the father of the prophets is sent to try him, and condemn him, for his murder. 2. The place is Naboth's vineyard; the time, just when he was taking possession of it; then, and there, must his doom be read him. By taking possession, he avowed all that was done, and made himself guilty ex post facto-as an accessary after the fact. There he was taken in the commission of the errors, and therefore the conviction would come upon him with so much the more force. "What hast thou to do in this vineyard? What good canst thou expect from it, when it is purchased with blood, (Hab. 2. 12,) and thou hast caused the owner thereof to lose his life?" Job 31. 39. Now that he was pleasing himself with his ill-gotten wealth, and giving direction for the turning of this vineyard into a flower garden, his meat in his bowels is turned. He shall not feel quietness. When he is about to fill his helly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, Job 20. 14, 20, 23. Let us see what passed between them.

(1.) Ahab vents his wrath against Elijah, falls into a passion at the sight of him, and, instead of humbling himself before the prophet, as he ought to have done, (2 Chr. 36. 12,) is ready to fly in his face, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? v. 20. This shows, [1.] That he hated him; the last time we found them together, they parted very good friends, (ch. 18. 46;) then Ahab had countenanced the reformation, and therefore then all was well between him and the prophet; but now he was relapsed, and worse than ever; his conscience told him he had made God his Enemy, and therefore he could not expect Elijah should be his friend. Note, That man's condition is very miserable, that has made the word of God his enemy, and very desperate, that reckons the ministers of that word his enemies, because they tell him the truth, Gal. 4. 16. Ahab, having sold himself to sin, was resolved to stand to his bargain, and could not endure him that would have helped to recover himself. [2.] That he feared him. Hast thou found me? Intimating that he shunned him all he could, and it was now a terror to him to see him. The sight of him was like that of the handwriting upon the wall, to Belshazzar, it made his countenance change, the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. Never was poor debtor or criminal so confounded at the sight of the officer that came to arrest him. Men may thank themselves, if they make God and his word a terror to them.

(2.) Elijah denounces God's wrath against Ahab; I have found thee, (says he, v. 20,) because thou hast sold thyself to work evil. Note, Those that give up themselves to sin, will certainly be found out, sooner or later, to their unspeakable horror and amazement. Ahab is now set to the bar, as Naboth was, and trembles more than he did. (865)

23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the "wall of Jezreel.

24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites,a whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those

words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

2 Kings 9. 36, 37. ⚫or, ditch. y c. 16. 30, 31. ver. 20. tor, incited. z Josh. 23. 12, 13. Ec. 7. 26. a Gen. 15. 16. 2 Kings 21. 11. b Josh. 2. 12, 13. c Jon. 3. 6-10.

[1] Elijah finds the indictment against him, and convicts him, upon the notorious evidence of the fact; (v. 19,) Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? He is here charged with the murder of Naboth; and it would not serve him to say the law killed him; (perverted justice is the highest injustice ;) or, that if he were unjustly prosecuted, it was not his doing, he knew nothing of it: for it was to please him, that it was done, and he had showed himself pleased with it, and so had made himself guilty of all that was done in the unjust prosecution of Naboth. He killed, for he took possession. If he takes the garden, he takes the guilt with it. Terra transit cum onere-The land with the encumbrance.

[2.] He passes judgment upon him. That his family should be ruined and rooted out, (v. 21,) and all his posterity cut off. That his house should be made like the houses of his wicked predecessors, Jeroboam and Baasha, (v. 22;) particularly, that they who died in the city, should be meat for dogs, and they who died in the field, meat for birds, (v. 24,) which had been foretold of Jeroboam's house, (ch. 14. 11,) and of Baasha's, ch. 16. 4. That Jezebel, particularly, should be devoured by dogs, (v. 23,) which was fulfilled, (2 Kings 9. 36;) and as for Ahab himself, that the dogs should lick his blood in the very same place where they licked Naboth's; (v. 19,) "Thy blood, even thine, though it be royal blood, though it swell thy veins with pride, and boil in thy heart with anger, ere long it shall be an entertainment for the dogs;" which was fulfilled, ch. 22. 38. This intimates that he should die a violent death, should come to his grave with blood, and that disgrace should attend him, the foresight of which must needs be a great mortification to a proud man. Punishments after death are here most insisted on, which, though such as affected the body only, perhaps, were designed as figures of the soul's misery after death. III. Ahab's humiliation under the sentence passed upon him, and the favourable message sent him, thereupon.

1. Ahab was a kind of penitent. The message Elijah delivered him in God's name, put him into a fright for the present, so that he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, v. 27. He was still a proud hardened sinner, and yet thus reduced. Note, God can make the stoutest heart to tremble, and the proudest to humble itself. His word is quick and powerful, and is, when he pleases to make it so, like a fire, and a hammer, Jer. 23. 29. It made Felix tremble. Ahab put on the garb and guise of a penitent, and yet his heart was unhumbled and unchanged. After this, we find, he hated a faithful prophet, ch. 22. 8. Note, It is no new thing to find the show and profession of repentance, where yet the truth and substance of it are wanting. Ahab's repentance was only what might be seen of men: Seest thou (says God to Elijah) how Ahab humbles himself? It was external only; the garments rent, but not the heart. A hypocrite may go very far in the outward performances of holy duties, and yet come short.

CHAPTER XXII.

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, v. 1-3. 2. Jehoshaphat, v. 4. 3. His prophets. (1.) His own, who encouraged him to go on this expedition. (v. 5, 6,) Zedekiah particularly, v. 11, 12. (2.) A prophet of the Lord, Micaiah, who was desired to come by Jehoshaphat, (v. 7, 8) sent for, (v. 9, 10, 13, 14,) upbraided Ahab with his confidence in the false prophets, (v. 15,) but foretold his fall in this expedition, (16-18,) and gave him an account how he came to be thus imposed upon by his prophets, v. 19-23. He is abused by Zedekiah, (v. 24, 25,) and imprisoned by Ahab, v. 26-28. II. The battle itself; in which 1. Jehoshaphat is exposed. But, 2. Ahab is slain, v. 29-40. In the close of the chapter, we have a short account, (1.) Of the good reign of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, v. 41-50. (2.) Of the wicked reign of "Ahaziah king of Israel, v. 51-53.

AND they continued three years without war

between Syria and Israel.

2 And it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria !

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshae Is. 66. 2. f2 Kings 20. 19. g2 Kings 9. 25. a 2 Chr. 18. 2, &c. b Deut. 4. 43. Josh. 20.8. ⚫ silent from taking it. c Prov. 1. 10. 2 Cor.

d Ex. 10. 3.

6. 14.

thing, rather than unmerciful. (2.) This teaches us to take notice of that which is good, even in those who are not so good as they should be: let it be commended as far as it goes. (3.) This gives a reason why wicked people sometimes prosper long: God is rewarding their external services with external mercies. (4.) This encourages all those that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the holy Gospel. If a pretending partial penitent shall go to his house reprieved, doubtless, a sincere penitent shall go to his house justified.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXII.

V. 1-14. Though Ahab continued under guilt and wrath, and the dominion of the lusts to which he had sold himself, yet, as a reward for his professions of repentance and humiliation, though the time drew near when he should descend into battle and perish, yet we have him blessed with a three years' peace, (v. 1,) and an honourable visit made him by Jehoshaphat king of Judah, v. 2. The Jews have a fabulous conceit, that when Ahab humbled himself for his sin, and lay in sackcloth, he sent for Jehoshaphat to come to him, to chastise him; and that he stayed with him for some time, and gave him so many stripes every day. That is a groundless tradition. He came now, it is probable, to consult with him about the affairs of their kingdoms. It is strange that so great a man as Jehoshaphat, would pay so much respect to a kingdom revolted from the house of David; and that so good a man would show so much kindness to a king revolted from the worship of God. But though he was a godly man, his temper was too easy, which betrayed him into snares and inconveniences.

The Syrians durst not give Ahab any disturbance. But, I. Ahab here meditates a war against the Syrians, and advises concerning it with those about him, v. 3. The king of Syria gave him the provocation; when he lay at his mercy, he promised to restore him his cities, (ch. 20. 34,) and Ahab foolishly took his word, when he ought not to have dismissed him, till the cities had been put into his possession. But now, he knows by experience, what he ought to have considered, that as the kisses, so the promises, of an enemy are deceitful; and there is no confidence to be put in leagues extorted by distress. Benhadad is one of those princes that think themselves bound by their word no further and no longer than it is for their interest. Whether any other cities were restored, we do not find, but Ramoth-gilead was not: a considerable city in the tribe of Gad, on the other side Jordan, a Levites' city, and one of the cities of refuge. Ahab blames himself, and his people, that they did not bestir themselves to recover it out of the hands of the Syrians, and to chastise Ben-hadad's violation of his league; and resolves to let that ungrateful perfidious prince know that as he had given him peace, he could give him trouble. Ahab has a good cause, yet succeeds not. Equity is not to be judged of by prosperity.

2. He obtained, hereby, a reprieve, which I may call a kind II. He engages Jehoshaphat, and draws him in, to join with of pardon. Though it was but an outside repentance, (lament-him in this expedition, for the recovery of Ramoth-gilead, v. 4. ing the judgment only, and not the sin,) though he did not leave And here, I do not wonder that Ahab should desire the assisthis idols, nor restore the vineyard to Naboth's heirs, yet be- ance of so pious and prosperous a neighbour. Even bad men cause he did hereby give some glory to God, God took notice of have often coveted the friendship of the good. It is desirable it, and bade Elijah take notice of it; Seest thou how Ahab hum- to have an interest in those that have an interest in heaven; bles himself? v. 29. In consideration of this, the threatened and to have those with us, that have God with them. But it is ruin of his house, which had not been fixed to any time, should strange that Jehoshaphat will go so entirely into Ahab's intebe adjourned to his son's days. The sentence should not be rests, as to say, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people. I revoked, but the execution suspended. Now, (1.) This dis- hope not; Jehoshaphat, and his people, are not so wicked and covers the great goodness of God, and his readiness to show corrupt as Ahab and his people. Too great a complaisance to mercy, which here rejoices against judgment. Favour is evil-doers, has brought many good people, through unwariness, showed to this wicked man, that God might magnify his good- into a dangerous fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, (says Bishop Sanderson,) even to the hazard of his other ness. Jehoshaphat had like to have paid dear for his complidivine perfections; as if (says he) God would be thought un- ment, when, in the battle, he was taken for Ahab. Yet some holy, or untrue, or unjust, (though he be none of these,) or any observe, that in joining with Israel against Syria, he atoned

phat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. 5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD today.

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets Stogether, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say

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their robes, in a tvoid place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria: and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good."

14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what "the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

k Ez. 13. 6-9 Mic. 3. 11. 1 Job 9. 4. m Is. 30. 10. n Num. 22. 38. 24. 13. Jer. 23. 28. Acts 20. 27. Gal. 1. 10.

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III. At the special instance and request of Jehoshaphat, he asks counsel of the prophets concerning this expedition. Ahab thought it enough to consult with his statesmen, but Jehosha-Ahab knew where to find him so readily, v. 9. But his imphat moves that they should inquire of the word of the Lord, v. 5. Note, 1. Whithersoever a good man goes, he desires to take God along with him, and will acknowledge him in all his ways, ask leave of him, and look up to him for success. 2. Whithersoever a good man goes, he ought to take his religion along with him, and not be ashamed to own it, no not when he is with those who have no kindness for it. Jehoshaphat has not left behind him, at Jerusalem, his affection and veneration for the word of the Lord, but both avows it, and endeavours to introduce it into Ahab's court. If Ahab drew him into his wars, he will draw Ahab into his devotions.

IV. Ahab's 400 prophets, the standing regiment he had of them, (prophets of the groves they called them,) agreed to encourage him in this expedition, and to assure him of success, v. 6. He put the question to them with a seeming fairness, Shall I go, or shall I forbear? But they knew which way his inclination was, and designed only to humour the two kings. To please Jehoshaphat, they made use of the name Jehovah, He shall deliver it into the hand of the king; they stole the word from the true prophets, (Jer. 23. 30,) and spake their language. To please Ahab, they said, Go up. They had indeed, probabilities on their side; Ahab had, not long since, beaten the Syrians twice; he had now a good cause, and was much strengthened by his alliance with Jehoshaphat; but they pretended to speak by prophecy, not by rational conjecture; by divine, not human, foresight: "Thou shalt certainly recover Ramoth-gilead." Zedekiah, a leading man among these prophets, in imitation of the true prophets, illustrated his false prophecy with a sign, v. 11. He made him a pair of iron horns, representing the two kings, and their honour and power, (both which were signified by horns, exaltation and force,) and with these the Syrians must be pushed. All the prophets agreed, as one man, that Ahab should return from this expedition, a conqueror, v. 12. Unity is not always the mark of a true church, and true ministry. Here were 400 men that prophesied with one mind and one mouth, and yet all in an error.

V. Jehoshaphat cannot relish this sort of preaching; it is not like what he was used to; the false prophets cannot so mimic the true, but, that he who had spiritual senses exercised, could discern the fallacy, and therefore he inquires for a prophet of the Lord besides, v. 7. He is too much a courtier to say any thing by way of reflection on the king's chaplains, but he waits to see a prophet of the Lord; intimating that he could not look upon these to be so. They seemed to be somewhat, (whatever they were, it made no matter to him,) but, in conference, they added nothing to him, they gave him no satisfaction, Gal. 2. 6. One faithful prophet of the Lord was worth them all.

VI. Ahab has another, but one he hates, Micaiah by name, and, to please Jehoshaphat, he is willing to have him sent for, v. 8-10. Ahab owned they might inquire of the Lord by him, that he was a true prophet, and one that knew God's mind. And yet, 1. He hated him, and was not ashamed to own to the king of Judah that he did so, and to give this for his reason, He doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And whose fault was that? If Ahab had done well, he had heard accordingly from heaven; if he do ill, he may thank himself for all the uneasiness which the reproofs and threats of God's word give him. Note, Those are wretchedly hardened in sin, and are ripening apace for ruin, who hate God's ministers, because they deal plainly with them, and faithfully warn them of their misery and danger by reason of sin, and reckon those their enemies, that tell them the truth. 2. He had (it should seem) imprisoned him; for when he committed him, (v. 26,) he bade the officer

carry him back; namely, to the place whence he came. may suppose that this was he that reproved him for his clemency to Ben-hadad, (ch. 20. 38, &c.) and for that was cast into prison, where he had lain these three years. And hence prisonment had not excluded him from divine visits, the spirit of prophecy continued with him there; he was bound, but the word of the Lord was not. Nor did it in the least abate his courage, or make him less confident or faithful in delivering his message. Jehoshaphat gave too gentle a reproof to Ahab, for expressing his indignation against a faithful prophet, Let not the king say so, v. 8. He should have said, "Thou art unjust to the prophet, unkind to thyself, and puttest an affront upon his Lord and thine, in saying so." "Such sinners as Ahab must be rebuked sharply. However, he so far yielded to the reproof, that, for fear of provoking Jehoshaphat to break off from his alliance with him, he orders Micaiah to be sent for with all speed, v. 9. The two kings sat each in their robes and chairs of state, in the gate of Samaria, ready to receive this poor prophet, and to hear what he has to say; for many will give God's word the hearing, that will not lend it an obedient ear. They were attended with a crowd of flattering prophets, that could not think of prophesying any thing but what was very sweet, and very smooth, to two such glorious princes now in confederacy. They that love to be flattered, shall not want flatterers.

Lastly, Micaiah is pressed by the officer that fetched him, to follow the cry, v. 13. That officer was unworthy the name of an Israelite, who pretended to prescribe to a prophet; but he thought him altogether such a one as the rest, who studied to please men, and not God. He tells him how unanimous the other prophets were in foretelling the king's good success; how agreeable it was to the king: that it was his interest to say as they said; he might gain not only enlargement, but preferment, by it. They that dote upon worldly things themselves, think every body else should do so too, and, true or false, right or wrong, speak and act for their secular interest only. He intimates likewise, that it would be to no purpose to contradict such a numerous and unanimous vote; he would be ridiculed, as affecting a foolish singularity, if he should. But Micaiah knows better things, protests it, and backs his protestation with an oath, that he will deliver his message from God with all faithfulness, whether it be pleasing or displeasing to his prince; (v. 14,) What the Lord saith to me, that will I speak, without addition, diminution, or alteration. Bravely resolved! And as became one who had his eye to a greater King than either of these, arrayed with brighter robes, and sitting on a higher throne.

V. 15-28. Here Micaiah does well, but, as is common, suffers ill for so doing.

I. We are here told how faithfully he delivered his message, as one that was more solicitous to please God than to humour either the great or the many. Three ways he delivers the message, and all displeasing to Ahab.

1. He speaks as the rest of the prophets did, but ironically, Go, and prosper, v. 15. Ahab put the same question to him, that he had put to his own prophets, Shall we go, or shall we forbear? Seeming desirous to know God's mind, when, like Balaam, he was strongly bent to do his own; which Micaiah plainly took notice of, when he bade him go, but with such an air of pronunciation, as plainly showed he spake it by way of derision; as if he had said, "I know you are determined to go, and I hear your own prophets are unanimous in assuring you of success; go then, and take what follows. They say, The Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king; but I do not tell thee that thus saith the Lord; no, he saith otherwise." Note, Those deserve to be bantered, that love to be flattered; and it is just with God to give up those to their own counsels, that

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel 'scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And he said, Hear thou, therefore, the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall *persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that

manner.

21 And there came forth a Spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.

22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying

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o Zech. 13. 7. Matt. 9. 36. p Is. 6. 1-3. Dan. 7. 9, 10. Job 1.6. Ps. 103, 21. Matt. 25. 31. Rev. 5. 11. or, deceive. Judg. 9. 23. Job 12. 16. Ez. 14. 9. 2 Thes. 2, 10-12. Acts 23. 2.

give up themselves to their own lusts, Ec. 11. 9. In answer to this, Ahab adjures him to tell him the truth, and not to jest with him, (v. 16,) as if he sincerely desired to know both what God would have him do, and what he would do with him; yet intending to represent the prophet as a perverse ill-humoured man, that would not tell him the truth, till he was thus put to his oath, or adjured to do it.

2. Being thus pressed, he plainly foretold that the king would be cut off in this expedition, and his army scattered, v. 17. He saw them in a vision, or dream, dispersed upon the mountains, as sheep that have no one to guide them: Smite the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, Zech. 13. 7. This intimates, (1.) That Israel should be deprived of their king, who was their shepherd; God took notice of it, These have no master. (2.) That they would be obliged to retire re infecta-without accomplishing what they went for. He does not foresee any great slaughter in the army, but that they should make a dishonourable retreat; Let them return every man to his house in peace: put into disorder indeed for the present, but no great losers, by the death of their king: he shall fall in war, but they shall go home in peace. Thus Micaiah, in his prophecy, testified what he had seen and heard, (let them take it how they pleased,) while the others prophesied merely out of their own hearts; see Jer. 23. 28. The prophet that has a dream, let him tell that, and so quote his authority; and he that has my word, let him speak my word faithfully, and not his own; for what is the chaff to the wheat? Now Ahab finds himself aggrieved, turns to Jehoshaphat, and appeals to him, whether Micaiah had not manifestly a spite against him, v. 18. They that bear malice to others, are generally willing to believe that they bear malice to them, though they have no cause for it, and therefore to put the worst constructions upon all they say. What evil did Micaiah prophesy to Ahab, in telling him, if he proceeded in this expedition, it would be fatal to him, while he might choose whether he would proceed in it or no? The greatest kindness we can do to one that is going in a dangerous way, is, to tell him of his danger.

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spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction," and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, "Hearken, O people, every one of you.

tor, from chamber to chamber. 1 a chamber in a chamber, c. 20. 30. t Jer, 89.
6. Acts 5. 18. Rev. 2. 10. Deut. 16, 3. Is. 30. 20. Num. 16. 29. Deut. 15.
20, 22. to Matt. 13. 9, 43.

but presides over, all the affairs of this lower world, and over-
rules them according to the counsel of his own will: the rise
and fall of princes, the issues of war, and all the great affairs
of state, which are the subject of the consultations of wise and
great men, are no more above God's direction, than the meanest
concerns of the poorest cottagers are below his notice. (4.) God
has many ways of bringing about his own counsels, parti-
cularly concerning the fall of sinners when they are ripe for ruin;
he can do it either in this manner or in that manner. (5.) That
there are malicious and lying spirits, which go about continu-
ally seeking to devour, and, in order to that, seeking to deceive,
and especially to put lies into the mouths of prophets, by them
to entice many to their destruction. (6.) It is not without the
divine permission, that the devil deceives men. Thereby God
serves his own purposes. With him is strength and wisdom;
the deceived and the deceiver are his, Job 12. 16. When he
pleases, for the punishment of those who receive not the truth
in the love of it, he not only lets Satan loose to deceive them,
(Rev. 20. 7, 8,) but gives up men to strong delusions to believe
him, 2 Thes. 2. 11, 12. (7.) Those are manifestly marked
for ruin, that are thus given up; God has certainly spoken evil
concerning those whom he has given up to be imposed upon by
lying prophets; thus Micaiah gave Ahab fair warning, not only
of the danger of proceeding in this war, but of the danger of
believing those that encouraged him to proceed; thus we are
warned to beware of false prophets, and to try the spirits; the
lying spirit never deceives so fatally, as in the mouth of prophets.
II. We are here told, how he was abused for delivering his
message thus faithfully, thus plainly, in a way so very proper
both to convince and to affect.

1. Zedekiah, a wicked prophet, impudently insulted him in the face of the court, smote him on the cheek, to reproach him, to silence him and stop his mouth, and to express his indignation at him; (thus was our blessed Saviour abused, Matt. 26. 67, that Judge of Israel, Mic. 5. 1,) and as if he not only had the Spirit of the Lord, but the monopoly of this Spirit, that he might not go without his leave, he asks, Which way went the 3. He informed the king how it was, that all his prophets Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee? v. 24. The false encouraged him to proceed; God permitted Satan, by them, prophets were always the worst enemies the true prophets had, to deceive him into his ruin, and he, by vision, knew of it: it and not only stirred up the government against them, but were was represented to him, and he represented it to Ahab, that themselves abusive to them, as Zedekiah here. To strike the God of heaven had determined he should fall at Ramoth- within the verge of the court, especially in the king's presence, gilead, (v. 19, 20;) that the favour he had wickedly shown to is looked upon by our law as a high misdemeanor, yet this Ben-hadad, might be punished by him and his Syrians, and wicked prophet gives this abuse to a prophet of the Lord, and that, he being in some doubt whether he should go to Ramoth- is not reprimanded or bound to his good behaviour for it; Ahab gilead or no, and resolving to be advised by his prophets, they was pleased with it, and Jehoshaphat had not courage to appear should persuade him to it, and prevail, (v. 21, 22;) and hence for the injured prophet, pretending it was out of his jurisdicit was, that they encouraged him with so much assurance, (v. tion; but Micaiah, though he returns not his blow, (God's 23;) it was a lie from the father of lies, but by the divine per- prophets are no strikers nor persecutors, dare not avenge themmission. This matter is here represented after the manner of selves, render blow for blow, or be any way accessory to the men; we are not to imagine that God is ever put upon new breach of the peace,) yet, since he boasted so much of the Spirit, counsels, or is ever at a loss for means whereby to effect his as those commonly do that know least of his operations, he leaves purposes, or that he needs to consult with angels, or any crea-him to be convinced of his error by the event, Thou shalt know ture, about the methods he should take, or that he is the Author of sin, or the cause of any man's either telling or believing a lie; but beside what was intended by this, with reference to Ahab himself, it is to teach us, (1.) That God is a great king above all kings, and has a throne above all the thrones of earthly princes; "You have your thrones," (said Micaiah to these two kings,)" and you think you may do what you will, and we must all say as you would have us; but I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and every man's judgment proceeding from him, and therefore I must say as he says; he is not a man as you are." (2.) That he is continually attended and served by an innumerable company of angels, those heavenly hosts, who stand by him, ready to go where he sends them, and to do what he bids them, messengers of mercy on his right hand, of wrath on his left hand. (3.) That he not only takes cognizance of,

when thou hidest thyself in an inner chamber, v. 25. It is likely, Zedekiah went with Ahab to the battle, and took his horns of iron with him, to encourage the soldiers, to see with pleasure the accomplishment of his prophecy, and return in triumph with the king; but the army being routed, he fled among the rest from the sword of the enemy, sheltered himself as Ben-hadad had done, in a chamber within a chamber, (ch. 20. 30,) lest he should perish, as he knew he deserved to do, with those whom he had deluded, as Balaam did, (Num. 31. 8,) and lest the blind prophet should fall into the ditch, with the blinded prince whom he had misled. Note, Those that will not have their mistakes rectified in time by the word of God, will be unde ceived, when it is too late, by the judgments of God.

2. Ahab, that wicked king, committed him to prison; (v. 27,) not only ordered him to be taken into custody, or remitted to

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