1 Kings 22:3 kjv
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
1 Kings 22:3 nkjv
And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
1 Kings 22:3 niv
The king of Israel had said to his officials, "Don't you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?"
1 Kings 22:3 esv
And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
1 Kings 22:3 nlt
During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, "Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we've done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!"
1 Kings 22 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ahab's Character & Rule | ||
| 1 Kgs 16:30 | Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him. | Ahab's general wickedness. |
| 1 Kgs 20:34 | "And he said, 'You must release me; behold, I will make a treaty with you... and I will return the cities...'" | Ben-hadad's previous promise to return cities, justifying Ahab's claim. |
| 1 Kgs 21:1-19 | The account of Naboth's vineyard and Ahab's covetousness leading to murder. | Ahab's covetous nature and disregard for justice. |
| Territorial Claims & Inheritance | ||
| Num 32:39-41 | And the sons of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and captured it... | Gilead as part of Israel's promised inheritance, particularly to Manasseh. |
| Deut 3:12-16 | And this land we took possession of at that time, from Aroer, which is by the Valley of the Arnon, and half of the hill country of Gilead with its cities I gave to the Reubenites and the Gadites... | Allocation of Gilead to the trans-Jordanian tribes (Reuben, Gad, half Manasseh). |
| Josh 13:24-28 | And Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of Gad, according to their clans... including Ramoth in Gilead. | Explicitly states Ramoth as part of Gad's inheritance. |
| Consequences of Worldly Ambition/War | ||
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Ahab's proud and unyielding spirit. |
| Jas 4:1 | What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? | Selfish desires as the root of conflict. |
| Psa 33:16 | The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. | Kings relying on their might rather than God. |
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. | Contrast between human and divine reliance. |
| Prov 13:10 | By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom. | Ahab's rejection of wise counsel leading to conflict. |
| Jer 17:5 | Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength..." | Warning against trusting human power/alliances. |
| Foreshadowing & Prophecy | ||
| 1 Kgs 22:5-23 | The subsequent consultation of prophets and Micaiah's true prophecy of Ahab's defeat. | Foreshadowing of tragic outcome for Ahab. |
| Deut 18:20-22 | If a prophet presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak... | Criteria for discerning true and false prophets, relevant to the later narrative. |
| 2 Chr 18:2-3 | And after some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria... "Will you go with me to battle against Ramoth-Gilead?" | Parallel account in Chronicles highlighting the alliance for war. |
| Isa 9:1 | But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. | Though broad, speaks to the significance and future of lands "beyond the Jordan" (including Gilead). |
| Zec 10:10 | I will bring them home from the land of Egypt and gather them from Assyria, and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon... | Future restoration and repopulation of Gilead as a key territory. |
| Hos 6:8 | Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood. | Negative perception of Gilead later, perhaps due to ongoing strife and idolatry. |
| God's Sovereignty & Justice | ||
| Rom 13:4 | For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain... | Authority given to rulers to enact justice, which Ahab distorts. |
| Prov 29:2 | When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. | Contrast to Ahab's wicked rule and the resulting conflict. |
1 Kings 22 verses
1 Kings 22 3 Meaning
1 Kings 22:3 reveals King Ahab's strong desire to reclaim Ramoth in Gilead, a city he believes rightfully belongs to Israel, from the king of Syria. His rhetorical question to his servants expresses impatience and dissatisfaction with their current inaction, indicating his intent to initiate military action to recover the territory.
1 Kings 22 3 Context
1 Kings chapter 22 marks a pivotal moment towards the end of King Ahab's reign over Israel. For three years, there had been relative peace between Aram (Syria) and Israel, likely a result of the treaty Ahab made with Ben-hadad in 1 Kings 20, after Israel had defeated Aram twice. According to that treaty, Ben-hadad promised to return Israelite cities he had captured (1 Kgs 20:34). Ramoth-Gilead was one such city, a strategically important fortress located in the Transjordan region, a gateway to both Israel and Aram. It was a Levitical city and a city of refuge for the tribe of Gad. Ahab, alongside King Jehoshaphat of Judah, who had come to visit, is now poised to break this period of peace, motivated by a long-held grievance that Ramoth-Gilead, historically belonging to Israel, had not been returned as promised. The verse immediately precedes the narrative of Ahab seeking prophetic counsel, setting the stage for his fatal confrontation. The polemical undertone is the dangerous path of a king prioritizing his nationalistic pride and covetous desires over God's will and previously established agreements, especially when leading to conflict with God's people.
1 Kings 22 3 Word analysis
- And the king of Israel: Refers to Ahab, son of Omri, one of the most notoriously wicked kings in Israel's history (1 Kgs 16:30). His reign was marked by widespread Baal worship, championed by his Phoenician wife Jezebel.
- said to his servants: Likely his court officials, military commanders, and counselors. Ahab is presenting his grievance and intention, gauging their agreement or preparing them for action.
- "Do you know: (Hebrew: הֲיְדַעְתֶּם
hayeda'tem`) This is a rhetorical question, carrying an impatient or accusatory tone. It implies a perceived shared knowledge or a self-evident truth that should lead to action. It's less a request for information and more a rhetorical tool to rally support or express exasperation at inaction. - that Ramoth in Gilead:
- Ramoth (Hebrew: רָמֹת
Ramoth): Means "heights" or "high places," indicative of its strategic location as a fortified city on an elevated position. Its control was vital for managing trade routes and defending territories. - Gilead (Hebrew: גִּלְעָד
Gil'ad): A significant trans-Jordanian region known for its Balm and as fertile pasture land. It was tribal land assigned to Gad and half of Manasseh (Josh 13:25). It holds deep historical ties to Israel, emphasizing Ahab's claim.
- Ramoth (Hebrew: רָמֹת
- belongs to us,: (Hebrew: לָנוּ
lanu, "to us" or "ours") This asserts ownership, emphasizing a perceived right or historical claim to the city. Ahab feels an entitlement based on past inheritance or Ben-hadad's unfulfilled treaty promises. - and we keep quiet (Hebrew: חָרֵשִׁים אֲנַחְנוּ
chareshim anachnu, "we are silent" or "we are quiet"). This phrase conveys a sense of passivity, inaction, or perhaps shame for not acting sooner. It implies a state of being quiescent while something rightfully theirs is held by an enemy. - instead of taking it back: (Hebrew: וְלֹקְחִים אֹתָהּ
v'loqechim otah, "and we are not taking it"). This phrase expresses the active, forceful intention to reclaim what is deemed rightfully Israel's. The action implies military engagement or a confrontational stance to seize possession. - from the king of Syria?": Refers to Ben-hadad II, the Aramean (Syrian) king who was Israel's traditional adversary at this time. Ahab's ambition is specifically directed at this powerful rival.
1 Kings 22 3 Bonus section
The importance of Ramoth-Gilead stemmed from its strategic location controlling access through the Transjordan and being part of the border between Israel and Aram. Its reclamation was not just about restoring inherited land but also about securing vital routes and bolstering national pride against a persistent enemy. Ahab's actions here echo a common human tendency to value perceived rights and earthly possessions more than peace or the wisdom that comes from seeking God. This decision also pulls Jehoshaphat, a more righteous king, into an unholy alliance, highlighting the corrupting influence of associating with those who walk contrary to God's will. The verse thus sets up a stark contrast between worldly ambition and a posture of humility and reliance on the Lord.
1 Kings 22 3 Commentary
1 Kings 22:3 serves as the catalyst for the conflict that leads to Ahab's demise. It exposes the covetous desire of a powerful king who prioritizes national pride and territorial acquisition above peace and divine counsel. Despite a treaty, Ahab nurses a grudge over Ramoth-Gilead, portraying Israel's current state of peace as a shameful inaction. This rhetorical statement is not just about a city; it underscores Ahab's characteristic defiance of God's ways. His obsession with material and territorial possessions, as previously seen in the Naboth's vineyard incident (1 Kgs 21), overrides any consideration of divine will or potential consequences, leading him towards an alliance with Judah and a disastrous battle.