John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men , etc.] False prophets, as the Targum and Arabic version; and they are called Ahab’s prophets, and not the Lord’s, ( 1 Kings 22:23) perhaps these were the prophets of the groves, that ate at Jezebel’s table, and were preserved when the prophets of Baal were destroyed, since the number agrees with them, (see 1 Kings 18:19) and said unto them, shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear ? which would you advise to? signifying he should take their advice: and they said, go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king : which words are very ambiguous, like the oracles of the Heathens; for they do not express who or what should be delivered up, for the word it is a supplement, nor to what king the delivery should be made; whether the Syrians, and the place they held should be given up to king Ahab, which they would have understood; or whether the Israelites should be delivered up to king Benhadad; so that, whichever had been the case, the credit of their prophecy would be secured. They used the word “Lord”, and not Baal, in complaisance to Jehoshaphat, and perhaps as directed by Ahab.
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 ויקבץ6908 מלך4428 ישׂראל3478 את853 הנביאים5030 כארבע702 מאות3967 אישׁ376 ויאמר559 אלהם413 האלך1980 על5921 רמת7433 גלעד1568 למלחמה4421 אם518 אחדל2308 ויאמרו559 עלה5927 ויתן5414 אדני136 ביד3027 המלך׃4428
