John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. (And the king of Israel said unto his servants , etc.] His nobles, those of his privy council, his ministers of state; or “had said” f457 , some little time before Jehoshaphat came: know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours a city of refuge beyond Jordan, in the tribe of Gad, and so of course must belong to the kingdom of Israel, of which (see Joshua 20:8) and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?) neither demand it, nor take any measures to oblige him to deliver it up; representing it as a great omission, and as a piece of negligence and slothfulness, or cowardice.
Ver. 4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead ? etc.] This affair being lately canvassed at the council board, and very much on Ahab’s mind, he puts this question to Jehoshaphat, his visitor, relation, and ally; wisely considering that his own forces were small, and that to have such an auxiliary might be of great advantage to him: and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses ; meaning, that he and his soldiers, foot and horse, were at his service.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-14 - The same easiness of temper, which betrays some godly persons int friendship with the declared enemies of religion, renders it very dangerous to them. They will be drawn to wink at and countenance suc 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 thos who have no regard for it. Jehoshaphat had not left behind him, a 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' prophets, to please Jehoshaphat, made use of the name of Jehovah: to please Ahab, they said, God up. But the false prophets cannot so mimi the true, but that he who has spiritual senses exercised, can discer 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 fashio of the times, and the taste of the hearers, and yet to add. Thus sait the Lord, to words that men would put into their mouths. They are read to cry out against a man as rude and foolish, who scruples thus to tr to secure his own interests, and to deceive others.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 מלך4428 ישׂראל3478 אל413 עבדיו5650 הידעתם3045 כי3588 לנו רמת7433 גלעד1568 ואנחנו587 מחשׁים2814 מקחת3947 אתה853 מיד3027 מלך4428 ארם׃758
