1 Kings 22 22

1 Kings 22:22 kjv

And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

1 Kings 22:22 nkjv

The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.'

1 Kings 22:22 niv

"?'By what means?' the LORD asked. "?'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. "?'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and do it.'

1 Kings 22:22 esv

And the LORD said to him, 'By what means?' And he said, 'I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And he said, 'You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.'

1 Kings 22:22 nlt

"'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.'

1 Kings 22 verses

1 Kings 22 22 Meaning

This verse describes the deceptive spirit, with the Lord's permission, deciding to go out and mislead all of Ahab's prophets, causing them to speak lies and thus entice Ahab to go to Ramoth-Gilead, where he would be killed in battle. It reveals God's active sovereignty over both true and false prophecy to bring about His righteous judgment.

1 Kings 22 22 Context

Chapter 22 of 1 Kings narrates King Ahab of Israel's desire to reclaim Ramoth-Gilead from the Arameans. He forms an alliance with King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Before going to battle, Ahab consults his four hundred prophets, who unanimously encourage him to go, promising victory. Jehoshaphat, however, senses their words are not from the Lord and insists on consulting a prophet of the Lord. Reluctantly, Ahab sends for Micaiah, a prophet whom he hates because Micaiah never prophesies good concerning him, only evil. When Micaiah arrives, he initially delivers the same favorable prophecy as Ahab's other prophets, but then, under Ahab's insistent demand for the truth, reveals a vision of the divine council, where God orchestrates the sending of a deceiving spirit to mislead Ahab's prophets. This verse (22) details the deceptive spirit's affirmative response and intention. This narrative occurs in a period where true Yahwism often directly confronted the idolatrous practices introduced by Ahab and Jezebel, particularly Baal worship, marking a spiritual and political turning point for Ahab, the wickedest king of Israel.

1 Kings 22 22 Word analysis

• And he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): This is a simple conjunction with a verb, indicating the direct speech of the "spirit" (which identifies itself in the preceding verse as 'I' and 'a spirit'). It signifies immediate and willing compliance to the divine commission.
• I will go out (אֵצֵא - 'etze'): The verb signifies leaving, exiting, often implying going forth for a specific mission or purpose. Here, it means departing from the divine council.
• and be (וְהָיִיתִי - v'hayiti): A conjunction plus the verb "to be," in the perfect tense. It expresses the future state or condition of the spirit – not just to go, but to become, to exist as, in a certain form or role.
• a deceiving spirit (רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר - ruach sheqer):
  • ruach (רוּחַ): This Hebrew term can mean "wind," "breath," or "spirit." In this context, it refers to a sentient spiritual being, likely one of the "sons of God" or angels who attend the divine council (Job 1:6, Ps 82:1). Its exact nature (angelic or demonic) is not explicitly stated but its commission is divine.
  • sheqer (שֶׁקֶר): Means "falsehood," "lie," "deception." When combined with ruach, it specifically means a spirit whose purpose and action is to lie or deceive. This emphasizes the nature of the spirit's mission and the inherent untruthfulness it propagates.
  • Significance: This highlights a crucial theological concept: God does not directly lie (Num 23:19, Tit 1:2), but He can sovereignly permit or even send (commission) an entity whose purpose is to propagate deception, especially as a form of judgment on those who have rejected His truth (2 Thess 2:11).
• in the mouth (בְּפִי - be'pi): Literally "in his mouth," with a suffix indicating "his" (referring to the false prophets, understood from context). "Mouth" here is a metonymy for speech, communication, and pronouncement.
  • Significance: The deception will manifest through their spoken words, appearing as a genuine prophetic utterance but being entirely false in its origin and intent. This highlights the vulnerability of the people to misleading spiritual influence if not discerning true prophecy.
• of all his prophets (כָּל־נְבִיאָיו - kol nevi'av):
  • kol (כָּל־): Means "all" or "every." It indicates a comprehensive influence – no one among Ahab's professional prophets would be exempt.
  • nevi'av (נְבִיאָיו): Refers to "his prophets," explicitly linking them to Ahab. These were not prophets of Yahweh in the authentic sense, but court prophets who likely served Ahab's interests or were part of a syncretistic cult.
  • Significance: These are presented as false prophets (confirmed by Micaiah later), distinguishing them from true Yahwistic prophets like Micaiah and Elijah. The deception is a specific judgment directed through these already compromised figures, confirming their false status. The consensus of many prophets is shown to be unreliable when they are not true servants of God.
• And he said (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyomer): Repeating the phrase from the beginning of the verse, marking the spirit's firm declaration: "I will entice him."
• I will entice him (אֲפַתֶּנּוּ - 'afatennu): The verb means "to entice," "to persuade," "to deceive." It carries the nuance of leading someone astray through cunning or flattery. "Him" refers to Ahab, whose ultimate fate is now sealed by this planned deception.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "I will go out and be a deceiving spirit": This phrase clarifies the nature of the spirit's proposed action. It’s not just an occasional act, but the spirit assumes the role of a deceiving spirit for this specific mission, by divine permission, indicating a deliberate and directed intention.
• "in the mouth of all his prophets": This phrase precisely targets the vehicle of the deception. The influence is comprehensive (all) and operates through the medium of their prophetic utterances. This shows that the external prophetic pronouncements were influenced by an internal, commissioned spirit.
• "And he said, ‘I will entice him’": This concludes the spirit’s plan. The intent is clearly to entice Ahab, meaning to mislead him into an action that will result in his downfall, thereby bringing God’s judgment upon him. The repetition of "And he said" serves to emphasize the spirit's resolve.

1 Kings 22 22 Bonus section

This narrative challenges a simplistic view of God's interaction with evil and deception. It distinguishes between God's nature (He cannot lie) and His sovereign administration, where He can utilize or permit deceptive agents or circumstances to fulfill His just purposes. This event showcases a "permissive" will in terms of the deceptive spirit's actions, yet an "active" will in terms of God's overarching plan for judgment. The concept of the "divine council" is significant here, presenting God not in isolation, but consulting with heavenly beings (often called "sons of God" or angels), where plans for earth are sometimes debated or determined. This context suggests a high-level, deliberate decision to bring about Ahab's demise. This incident serves as a stern warning against listening to popular opinion or pleasing prophecies rather than seeking the undiluted truth from God, even when that truth is unfavorable. It underscores the severity of persistently ignoring God's warnings and preferring comforting lies.

1 Kings 22 22 Commentary

This verse stands as a profound theological statement on God's sovereignty over deception and His righteous judgment. It is not that God Himself directly lies, for He is utterly truthful, but that He allows, commissions, and even directs deceptive forces to accomplish His holy will upon those who have rejected Him and persistently chosen a path of wickedness, as Ahab had done. The divine council scene demonstrates God’s absolute authority over all created beings, including spiritual ones. The "deceiving spirit" (ruach sheqer), though commissioned by God, maintains its character as a spirit of falsehood, and its chosen vehicle for deception is the already-compromised "prophets" of Ahab. These individuals, already prone to speaking what their king wished to hear rather than God's truth, were suitable conduits for God's punitive deception. Ahab's stubborn rejection of Micaiah, the true prophet, made him susceptible to this orchestrated delusion, leading him directly into judgment. It underscores that spiritual deception is often a consequence, or even a tool, of divine judgment for persistent unbelief and defiance against God’s clear word. This passage does not suggest that God capriciously lies to His faithful, but rather uses these means as a just retribution for those who choose a path of rebellion.