1 Kings 22:9

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

1 Kings 22:9-10. Hasten hither Micaiah — It seems he had imprisoned him; for, 1 Kings 22:26, he bids the officer carry him back, namely, to the place where he was before. Probably this was he that had reproved him for letting Ben-hadad go, 1 Kings 20:42 : and for that, had lain in prison three years. But this did not make him less confident, or less faithful in delivering his message. Having put on their robes — Their royal robes and ensigns of majesty. In a void place — In the place of judicature, which was in or nigh the gate of the city, and in the front of some void place, where either people stood to hear and see justice administered, or soldiers were placed for the defence of the city in time of war. And all the prophets prophesied before them — Continued to encourage them in their design; all agreeing, to a man, in the same fawning compliances with Ahab, and the same treacherous counsels, which pleased and tickled, for the present, but proved fatal in the end.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:1-14 The same easiness of temper, which betrays some godly persons into friendship with the declared enemies of religion, renders it very dangerous to them. They will be drawn to wink at and countenance such conduct and conversation as they ought to protest against with abhorrence. Whithersoever a good man goes, he ought to take his religion with him, and not be ashamed to own it when he is with those who have no regard for it. Jehoshaphat had not left behind him, at Jerusalem, his affection and reverence for the word of the Lord, but avowed it, and endeavoured to bring it into Ahab's court. And Ahab's prophets, to please Jehoshaphat, made use of the name of Jehovah: to please Ahab, they said, Go up. But the false prophets cannot so mimic the true, but that he who has spiritual senses exercised, can discern the fallacy. One faithful prophet of the Lord was worth them all. Wordly men have in all ages been alike absurd in their views of religion. They would have the preacher fit his doctrine to the fashion of the times, and the taste of the hearers, and yet to add. Thus saith the Lord, to words that men would put into their mouths. They are ready to cry out against a man as rude and foolish, who scruples thus to try to secure his own interests, and to deceive others.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

An officer - More properly, as in the margin, "a eunuch." Eunuchs seem to have been first introduced among the Israelites by David (1 Chronicles 28:1 note). They were a natural accompaniment of the seraglio of Solomon. The present passage is the first which shows that, after the separation of the kingdom, the kings of Israel employed them (compare 2 Kings 8:6; 2 Kings 9:32).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3-8. Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours—a Levitical and free town on the north border of Gad (De 4:43; Jos 21:38), on the site of the present Salt Lake, in the province of Belka. It lay within the territories of the Israelitish monarch, and was unjustly alienated; but whether it was one of the cities usurped by the first Ben-hadad, which his son had promised to restore, or was retained for some other reasons, the sacred historian has not mentioned. In the expedition which Ahab meditated for the recovery of this town, the aid of Jehoshaphat was asked and promised (see 2Ch 18:3). Previous to declaring hostilities, it was customary to consult the prophets (see on [325]1Sa 28:8); and Jehoshaphat having expressed a strong desire to know the Lord's will concerning this war, Ahab assembled four hundred of his prophets. These could not be either the prophets of Baal or of Ashteroth (1Ki 18:19), but seem (1Ki 22:12) to have been false prophets, who conformed to the symbolic calf-worship of Jehovah. Being the creatures of Ahab, they unanimously predicted a prosperous issue to the war. But dissatisfied with them, Jehoshaphat inquired if there was any true prophet of the Lord. Ahab agreed, with great reluctance, to allow Micaiah to be summoned. He was the only true prophet then to be found residing in Samaria, and he had to be brought out of prison (1Ki 22:26), into which, according to Josephus, he had been cast on account of his rebuke to Ahab for sparing the king of Syria.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then the king of Israel called an officer,.... An eunuch, as the word is sometimes used, one of pages:

and said, hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah; who, as it seems from 1 Kings 22:26 was in prison, where perhaps Ahab had cast him for his last prophecy to him, and where he had lain ever since; and this gives a reason why he could so readily send for him, knowing where he was.

Geneva Study Bible

Then the king of Israel called an {i} officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

(i) Read Ge 37:36.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. Hasten hither] R.V. Fetch quickly. This is the rendering in Chronicles, and enables us to dispense with italics.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 9. - Then the king of Israel caned an officer [Heb. one eunuch. So the LXX., εὐνοῦχον ἕνα. So that Samuel's forebodings have been realized (1 Samuel 8:15, marg.) Probably, like Ebed Melech, the Ethiopian (Jeremiah 38:7), he was a foreigner; possibly a prisoner of war (Herod. 3:49; 6:32). Deuteronomy 23:1 suggests that even such a king as Ahab would hardly inflict this humiliation upon an Israelite. From 1 Chronicles 28:1, Hebrews, we gather that even David's court had its eunuchs, and we may be sure that Solomon's enormous harem could not be maintained without them. In later days we find them prominent in the history, and occupying important positions under the king (2 Kings 8:6; 2 Kings 9:32; 2 Kings 23:11; 2 Kings 25:19; Jeremiah 29:2; Jeremiah 34:19; Jeremiah 52:25, etc. Cf. Genesis 37:36)], and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of. 1 Kings 22:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

By Jehoshaphat's desire, Ahab nevertheless sent a chamberlain (סריס; see at 1 Samuel 8:15 and Genesis 37:36) to fetch Micah (מהרה, bring quickly).