1 Kings 22:12 kjv
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
1 Kings 22:12 nkjv
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king's hand."
1 Kings 22:12 niv
All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. "Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious," they said, "for the LORD will give it into the king's hand."
1 Kings 22:12 esv
And all the prophets prophesied so and said, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."
1 Kings 22:12 nlt
All the other prophets agreed. "Yes," they said, "go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!"
1 Kings 22 12 Cross References
Cross-referencing helps illuminate themes of false prophecy, divine judgment, true vs. false wisdom, and God's sovereignty over kings and battles.
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 13:1-5 | If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you...and performs a sign... but the sign...does not come to pass, you shall not listen... | Warning against false prophets and their signs. |
| Deut 18:20-22 | But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him...shall die... | God's test for true prophets and severe punishment for false ones. |
| Isa 30:10 | Who say to the seers, "Do not see visions!" and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things... | People prefer comforting lies over hard truths. |
| Jer 6:14 | They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace. | False prophets offering false hope and ease. |
| Jer 8:11 | For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain... | Reiteration of false prophets' deceit. |
| Jer 14:13-14 | Ah, Lord God! Look, the prophets are saying to them, 'You will not see the sword... but I will give you assured peace in this place.' | False promise of peace in times of judgment. |
| Jer 23:16 | Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you... They speak visions of their own minds... | Warning against listening to self-generated prophecies. |
| Jer 23:25-28 | I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name... how long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies... | God denounces deceitful prophecies and false dreams. |
| Eze 13:3 | Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!" | Condemnation of prophets who follow their own imaginations. |
| Eze 13:6 | They have seen false visions and lying divinations, who say, "Thus declares the LORD," when the LORD has not sent them... | False prophets speaking in God's name without His commission. |
| Mic 3:5 | Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead my people astray... bite with their teeth and cry "Peace"... | Prophets misleading for personal gain. |
| 1 Kgs 22:6 | Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go... to Ramoth-gilead...?" | Context: Ahab seeking a positive prophecy. |
| 1 Kgs 22:23 | Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets... | God's permission for deception to lead to judgment. |
| 2 Chr 18:11 | And all the prophets prophesied likewise... "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. The LORD will give it into the hand of the king." | Parallel account of the false prophecy. |
| Prov 14:12 | There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. | Self-deception leading to ruin. |
| Isa 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! | Condemns perversion of truth, relevant to false prophecy. |
| Amos 3:7 | For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets. | True prophets speak God's will. |
| 2 Tim 4:3 | For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, | Desire for agreeable messages over truth. |
| 2 Pet 2:1 | But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies... | Warning about false teachers in the New Covenant era. |
| Matt 7:15 | Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. | Christ's warning about discerning false teachers. |
| Mark 13:22 | For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. | Eschatological warning about deceptive figures. |
| 1 John 4:1 | Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. | Command to test prophecies/spirits for truth. |
| Rev 16:13-14 | And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. | The ultimate false prophet allied with evil. |
1 Kings 22 verses
1 Kings 22 12 Meaning
1 Kgs 22:12 describes the collective endorsement of the false prophets' message to King Ahab, urging him to go to Ramoth-gilead for battle. They unanimously declared divine approval and guaranteed victory, reassuring the king that Yahweh would deliver the city into his hands. This verse highlights the deceptive consensus that often contradicts true divine revelation, acting as a direct counter-voice to the warnings given by genuine prophets.
1 Kings 22 12 Context
This verse is situated during a pivotal moment of compromise and rebellion in Israel's history. King Ahab of Israel, notorious for his idolatry and wickedness, is considering going to war to reclaim Ramoth-gilead from Aram. He is joined by King Jehoshaphat of Judah, a relatively righteous king who unfortunately makes an alliance with Ahab through marriage. Before battle, Ahab seeks prophetic counsel, assembling about 400 "prophets" whom he clearly prefers to hear from, knowing they would align with his desires. This specific verse, 1 Kgs 22:12, records the uniform, deceptive, and confident affirmation of these false prophets, urging Ahab forward to a pre-ordained doom that God had decreed for his wickedness (1 Kgs 21). The historical backdrop involves ongoing tensions between Israel and Aram and the kings' reliance on divine validation for military campaigns, a practice that highlights the importance of true prophecy.
1 Kings 22 12 Word analysis
- And all: Indicates complete agreement and solidarity among the multitude of prophets. This collective front amplifies the perceived authority of their counsel, making it harder to challenge. It implies a unified voice, a characteristic often sought by those in power who desire consensus.
- the prophets: Refers to the 400 men assembled by Ahab. Critically, these were not prophets of Yahweh in the true sense, but likely court prophets or those influenced by Baal worship, or syncretistic practitioners who merely gave Yahweh lip service, conforming to the king's wishes rather than God's will. They stand in contrast to true prophets like Elijah and Micaiah.
- prophesied: From the Hebrew
nāḇā’(נָבָא), meaning "to prophesy, speak as a prophet." While it can describe genuine prophetic speech, here it denotes a performance that mimics divine utterance but lacks true divine origin. Their "prophesying" was self-generated or demonically influenced. - likewise: Reinforces the unanimous nature of their pronouncements. Each one echoed the same message, creating an illusion of unquestionable divine approval. This conformity stands in stark contrast to God's genuine prophets, who often stand alone against the popular tide.
- saying: A direct declaration, leaving no room for ambiguity.
- "Go up to Ramoth-gilead: A specific military command and destination. Ramoth-gilead was a strategic city east of the Jordan River, historically part of Gad, important for its position in trade routes and its defensive value. It symbolized Ahab's ambition to restore Israel's territorial integrity, despite divine disapproval.
- and triumph!": The Hebrew
tselakh(צְלַח) means "to prosper, be successful, accomplish, succeed." This is a clear assurance of victory and military success, designed to encourage Ahab. This prophecy aligns perfectly with Ahab's desires, confirming the flattering nature of false prophecy. - For the LORD: Hebrew
YHVH(יהוה), the covenant name of God. This is a profound point of deception. These false prophets invoked the holy name of Yahweh, borrowing its authority, yet they were speaking a lie or a word not from Him. This demonstrates the danger of misusing divine authority or name-dropping God to justify human desires. - will give it: Assures a certain outcome; God is depicted as actively delivering the city. This framing makes the victory sound divinely guaranteed, reducing human responsibility or doubt.
- into the hand of the king.": Personalizing the promised victory directly to Ahab. It promises him a glorious success, bolstering his ego and desire for power, making the message highly appealing and convincing to the king.
1 Kings 22 12 Bonus section
The scene described in 1 Kgs 22:12 highlights a key theological concept: God's permission of deception to bring about judgment. While the false prophets genuinely believed they were prophesying from the Lord, Micaiah later reveals that a "lying spirit" was dispatched by God Himself into the mouths of these 400 prophets (1 Kgs 22:23). This is not to say God creates evil, but that He can use and orchestrate even malevolent spiritual forces or human deception as instruments within His sovereign plan to bring judgment upon the wicked. For Ahab, who continually rejected genuine prophetic warnings and chose to pursue idolatry and injustice, God used these false prophets as part of his divine undoing. It underscores the severity of persistently spurning God's true word, as it eventually leads to being given over to delusion.
1 Kings 22 12 Commentary
1 Kings 22:12 encapsulates the insidious nature of false prophecy: a multitude speaking a unified, flattering message that aligns with the recipient's desires, even while invoking the name of the true God. The 400 prophets, collectively declaring "triumph" and affirming that "the LORD will give it into the hand of the king," created a potent atmosphere of deceit. This mass affirmation, designed to suppress dissent, highlighted Ahab's deep spiritual blindness and his preference for pleasing falsehoods over an unpalatable truth. It shows how consensus can be weaponized against truth and how those who seek their own will, rather than God's, will find ample justification for their path. The stark contrast presented by Micaiah later in the narrative (1 Kgs 22:13-28) exposes the core difference: true prophecy flows from God's heart, regardless of consequence, while false prophecy flows from human desire, whether motivated by fear, greed, or flattery. This verse serves as a sober warning against seeking messages that merely confirm one's own desires rather than seeking the undiluted truth from God.