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

21and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’ 22“‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked. “And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ “‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’ “So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom.” 24Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” he demanded. 25And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”

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 4:21And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.
• Exodus 10:20But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart again, so he refused to let the people go.
• Deuteronomy 2:30“But King Sihon of Heshbon refused to allow us to pass through, because the Lord your God made Sihon stubborn and defiant so he could help you defeat him, as he has now done.
• 2 Chronicles 25:16But the king interrupted him and said, “Since when have I made you the king’s counselor? Be quiet now before I have you killed!” So the prophet stopped with this warning: “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have refused to accept my counsel.”
• Isaiah 6:9And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’
• Isaiah 44:20The poor, deluded fool feeds on ashes. He trusts something that can’t help him at all. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, “Is this idol that I’m holding in my hand a lie?”
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests?
• Matthew 13:13That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
• Matthew 24:24For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”
• 1 Kings 20:42The prophet said to him, “This is what the Lord says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed, now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people.”
• 1 Kings 21:19Give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!’”
• Numbers 23:19God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?
• Numbers 24:13‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.’ I told you that I could say only what the Lord says!
• Isaiah 3:11But the wicked are doomed, 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