1 Kings 22:23

1 Kings 22:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

Context of 1 Kings 22:23

21Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ 22He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’ So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” 24Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” 25Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.”

1 Kings 22:23 word by word

וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֤ן יְהוָה֙ ר֣וּחַ שֶׁ֔קֶר בְּפִ֖י כָּל־נְבִיאֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה וַֽיהוָ֔ה דִּבֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֖יךָ רָעָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore, behold, the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath putנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• a lyingשֶׁ֫קֶרsheqer · deceptionH8267
• spiritרוּחַrûach · spiritH7307
• in the mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• of all these thy prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• hath spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: promiseH1696
• evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451

Cross-references for 1 Kings 22:23

• Exodus 4:21The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders I have put under your control. But I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
• Exodus 10:20But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not release the Israelites.
• Deuteronomy 2:30But King Sihon of Heshbon was unwilling to allow us to pass near him because the Lord our God had made him obstinate and stubborn so that he might deliver him over to you this very day.
• 2 Chronicles 25:16While he was speaking, Amaziah said to him, “Did we appoint you to be a royal counselor? Stop prophesying or else you will be killed!” So the prophet stopped, but added, “I know that the Lord has decided to destroy you, because you have done this thing and refused to listen to my advice.”
• Isaiah 6:9He said, “Go and tell these people: ‘Listen continually, but don’t understand! Look continually, but don’t perceive!’
• Isaiah 44:20He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, ‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me?
• Matthew 13:13For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.
• Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.”
• 1 Kings 20:42The prophet then said to him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life and your people will suffer instead of his people.’”
• 1 Kings 21:19Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”
• Numbers 23:19God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?
• Numbers 24:13‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’?
• Isaiah 3:11Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 22:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23The Lord hath put a lying spirit - He hath permitted or suffered a lying spirit to influence thy prophets. Is it requisite again to remind the reader that the Scriptures repeatedly represent God as doing what, in the course of his providence, he only permits or suffers to be done? Nothing can be done in heaven, in earth, or hell, but either by his immediate energy or permission. This is the reason why the Scripture speaks as above.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-28Verses 15-28 The greatest kindness we can do to one that is going in a dangerous way, is, to tell him of his danger. To leave the hardened criminal without excuse, and to give a useful lesson to others, Micaiah related his vision. This matter is represented after the manner of men: we are not to imagine that God is ever put upon new counsels; or that he needs to consult with angels, or any creature, about the methods he should take; or that he is the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-23Micaiah said God let a lying spirit mislead Ahab to cause his death. God used Ahab's false prophets to fulfill His plan.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2318-23. Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?--Since Ahab was disposed to trace this unwelcome truth to personal enmity, Micaiah proceeded fearlessly to tell the incensed monarch in full detail what had been revealed to him. The Hebrew prophets, borrowing their symbolic pictures from earthly scenes, described God in heaven as a king in His kingdom. And as earthly princes do nothing of importance without asking the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 22:23

• Ahab
• Armies
• Demons
• Lying
• Micaiah
• Reproof
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Forbear
• Jehoshaphat
• Micaiah
• Neither
• Nor
• Prophesy
• Ramothgilead
• Venture
• Void

Commentaries on 1 Kings 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings