Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 22:20
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.
20. Who shall persuade [R.V. entice ] Ahab ] The same change also is made in the two following verses. ‘Entice’ is the rendering in 2 Chronicles, and it represents much better the sense of the verb in the original, which implies flattery and deception; and this it was which was to lead Ahab to his ruin.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
This is not to be grossly understood, as if God did ask and take counsel from his creatures, or were at a loss to find out an expedient to accomplish his own will; did consider several ways, and then close with that which upon debate appeared to be best; all which it is ridiculous to imagine concerning a God of perfect and infinite knowledge; but only to bring down Divine things to our shallow capacities, and to express the various means which God hath to execute his own designs.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the Lord said, who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead?…. Not that it can be supposed that the Lord entered into a consultation with the angels upon this subject; only that it was the decree of God that he should go thither, and fall by the hand of the man whom he had let go, as a just punishment of him:
and one said on this manner, and another said on that manner; not that there was such an altercation among them; it only signifies, that there are various ways and means, by which the purposes and decrees of God may be and are brought about.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
20. Who shall persuade Ahab Here in the light of Divine counsels we see Jehovah giving over an incorrigible sinner to judicial blindness and ruin. Ahab had rejected the truth, and hardened his heart against the force of the most convincing miracles of Divine power, and for this cause God sent him “strong delusion that he should believe a lie.” 2Th 2:11.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ And YHWH said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.”
What Micaiah was trying to give here was an explanation of the prophesying of the false prophets, and he did it in striking picture terms. His aim, in other words, was to give an explanation of the ‘inspired’ prophets that he saw before him in terms that all would understand and not forget. He was not really suggesting that YHWH actually behaved like this, or that these lying spirits actually appeared before YHWH. Indeed he wanted the people to realise that it was these prophets who were possessed by lying spirits and were thus not actually conveying YHWH’s will at all. But trouble was that many of the people thought that they were. So Micaiah wanted them to recognise that what these prophets were speaking was lies.
1Ki 22:21
‘ And there came forth a spirit, and stood before YHWH, and said, “I will entice him.” ’
Here, Micaiah was saying, is the real source of the prophecies of the false prophets, a ‘spirit of prophecy’ which sought to entice men into catastrophe, and granted permission to do so by YHWH. In a sense it could be seen as coming from YHWH because nothing could happen without YHWH’s say-so. He was sovereign over all. Compare how even Satan could be described as a ‘son of the Elohim’ in Job chapters 1 & 2. He too was permitted some rein by God (although always on a tight rein).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ki 22:20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
Ver. 20. And one said on this manner, &c. ] God cannot want a weapon to beat his rebels with; he hath store of plagues and treasures of wrath for the vessels of wrath; whom he can easily deliver up to strong delusions, vile affections, just damnation. “The deceiver and the deceived are both with him.” Job 12:16 See Trapp on “ Job 12:16 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
persuade = entice.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
persuade: or, deceive, Job 12:16, Jer 4:10, Eze 14:9
Reciprocal: Exo 14:23 – General Jos 11:20 – it was 1Sa 18:10 – and he prophesied 1Sa 28:19 – the Lord 2Sa 24:1 – moved 1Ki 22:22 – Thou shalt 2Ki 9:1 – Ramothgilead 1Ch 21:1 – Satan 2Ch 10:15 – the cause 2Ch 18:2 – persuaded 2Ch 18:19 – Who shall entice 2Ch 22:7 – was of God Pro 11:9 – An hypocrite Pro 29:1 – General Isa 6:8 – Whom Isa 19:14 – hath mingled Isa 30:28 – causing Isa 44:20 – a deceived Dan 4:17 – by the Joh 12:40 – hath
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 22:20-22. The Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, &c. This is not to be understood grossly, as if God were at a loss to find out an expedient to accomplish his own designs; nor is it to be supposed that there was really any such consultation, before the Divine Majesty, as who should be employed to persuade Ahab to undo himself. But this is a symbolical representation, to signify that the Lord resolved to suffer Ahab to be deceived and perish at Ramoth-Gilead rather than in any other place; in order that he, who sinfully suffered Ben-hadad to escape, might be punished by Ben-hadad. And there came forth a spirit An evil one; and stood before the Lord This is not to be taken literally. There are, however, evil spirits who are very forward to entice men to their own destruction, and have power so to do, if the Lord do not hinder them. He said, I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets I will suggest to them that which will deceive them. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also I will give them up into thy hands, and leave them to their own ignorance and wickedness. Go forth, and do so This is not a command, but only a permission. If we suppose this to be any thing more than a symbolical vision, we must say God permitted this evil spirit to follow his own inclinations, which he knew would have success, and prevail with Ahab to believe he should prosper in this war, wherein God intended he should perish. Ahabs prophets had observed how prosperous he had been in former wars with the king of Syria, and that made them forward to promise him the same success in this also. And Ahab was as forward to believe as they were to promise.