1 Kings 22:37 kjv
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
1 Kings 22:37 nkjv
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.
1 Kings 22:37 niv
So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there.
1 Kings 22:37 esv
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.
1 Kings 22:37 nlt
So the king died, and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there.
1 Kings 22 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 22:28 | "...If you ever return in safety...the LORD has not spoken by me." | Micaiah's prophecy of Ahab's death confirmed. |
| 1 Kgs 22:17 | "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains..." | Prophecy of leaderless flock, fulfilled by Ahab's death. |
| 1 Kgs 21:19 | "...In the place where dogs licked up the blood..." | Elijah's earlier prophecy concerning Ahab's death due to Naboth. |
| Isa 55:11 | "so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty..." | God's prophetic word always accomplishes its purpose. |
| Deut 18:22 | "if the thing does not happen or come to pass...that is a word that the LORD has not spoken..." | The accuracy of prophecy as a test of a true prophet. |
| Psa 2:4-6 | "He who sits in the heavens laughs...Then he will speak to them in his wrath..." | God's sovereignty over earthly kings and their plans. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will." | God's absolute control over rulers' destinies. |
| Dan 4:17 | "...the Most High rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom he will..." | Emphasizes divine sovereignty over all earthly 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 profound wickedness which led to divine judgment. |
| 1 Kgs 21:25 | "Indeed, there was none who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD as Ahab did..." | Highlights the extreme nature of Ahab's sin and deserved judgment. |
| Gal 6:7 | "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap." | The principle of sowing and reaping applied to Ahab's fate. |
| Rom 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death..." | Ultimate consequence of persistent rebellion against God. |
| Job 4:8 | "As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same." | Another illustration of justice and consequence of evil deeds. |
| Psa 9:16 | "The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment; by the work of his own hands the wicked is snared." | God's justice in ensnaring and judging the wicked. |
| 2 Kgs 9:35 | "They went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands." | Jezebel's death and partial burial, similar divine judgment on Ahab's wicked house. |
| Jer 2:19 | "Your own evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you." | Self-inflicted consequences of spiritual wandering and sin. |
| Isa 46:10 | "declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done..." | God's power to declare future events and bring them to pass. |
| Ecc 3:20 | "All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return." | The universal reality of death and return to the earth. |
| Heb 9:27 | "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment..." | The inevitability of death for all, including kings. |
| 1 Sam 31:4-6 | "So Saul took his own sword...Thus Saul died..." | Death of another disobedient king. |
| 2 Kgs 1:17 | "So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken." | Ahaziah's death also according to prophecy, highlighting God's word's power. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind." | God's unchanging nature ensures His prophecies are fulfilled. |
| Ps 33:10 | "The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples." | God's ability to thwart the schemes of humanity, even kings. |
| 1 Kgs 22:34 | "...So he died..." | Ahab's initial wounding, leading directly to his death here. |
| Josh 10:19 | "do not stay, but pursue your enemies and attack their rear..." | The context of battle where death is common, but Ahab's is specific. |
1 Kings 22 verses
1 Kings 22 37 Meaning
The verse marks the immediate consequence of King Ahab's participation in the battle at Ramoth-Gilead against the warnings of the prophet Micaiah. It signifies the definitive end of his wicked reign, confirming the fulfillment of divine judgment. Despite his attempts to disguise himself and evade the prophesied death, his demise is unavoidable, and his body is returned to Samaria, the capital city he established and governed in grave sin, for burial. This outcome powerfully underscores God's sovereignty over kings and His unerring faithfulness in fulfilling His spoken word.
1 Kings 22 37 Context
1 Kings chapter 22 recounts the final moments of King Ahab of Israel. For three years, there had been no war between Syria and Israel. Ahab proposed to King Jehoshaphat of Judah that they attack Ramoth-Gilead to reclaim it from the Syrians. Jehoshaphat, a righteous king, insisted they first inquire of the LORD. Ahab gathered 400 false prophets who uniformly predicted success. However, Jehoshaphat pressed for a true prophet, leading to the summoning of Micaiah, son of Imlah. Micaiah, despite initial sarcasm, accurately prophesied disaster for Israel and Ahab's death, revealing a deceiving spirit sent by God to Ahab's prophets because Ahab chose to believe lies over truth. Ahab, rejecting the warning, entered the battle disguised, while Jehoshaphat wore his royal robes. Despite Ahab's attempt to evade destiny, an unknown archer shot him, leading to his severe wound and subsequent death in his chariot by evening. Verse 37 specifically details the transfer of his body back to his capital city, Samaria, and his burial there, sealing the fulfillment of Micaiah’s and Elijah's prophecies. Historically, this highlights the era of divided monarchy, rampant idolatry in the Northern Kingdom, and the powerful role of prophets confronting wicked kings.
1 Kings 22 37 Word analysis
- So (וַיָּמָת - vayyāmōth): This word functions as a conjunction that connects events, implying a direct consequence or result. Here, it signifies the culmination and fulfillment of the preceding narrative – Ahab's disregard for prophecy and his decision to go to war. The narrative directly moves from his wounding to his death.
- the king (הַמֶּלֶךְ - ha-meleḵ): Refers specifically to King Ahab of Israel. The definite article emphasizes his unique status and the divine irony of a mighty king succumbing to a random arrow, against his will and strategy. It underscores that even a powerful monarch cannot defy God's ordained judgment.
- died (וַיָּמָת - vayyāmōth): The verb denotes cessation of life, the physical end. In this context, it's not merely a biological event but the precise fulfillment of the word of the Lord delivered by Micaiah (and earlier by Elijah regarding his lineage). His death brings to a close the most evil reign in Israel to date, underscoring the finality of divine judgment on the wicked.
- and was brought (וַיָּבִיא - vayyāvîʾ): Literally "and he brought," but typically interpreted as "and was brought" or "they brought" him (implying his servants/army). This signifies an active transfer of his deceased body. It suggests a formal, if somber, procession befitting a king, even one who died in disgrace and divine judgment.
- to Samaria (לְשֹׁמְרוֹן - lə-Šōmərôn): Samaria was the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, established by Ahab's father Omri. It became the hub of Baal worship under Ahab and Jezebel, signifying profound idolatry and injustice (e.g., Naboth's vineyard was nearby). His death and return to Samaria tie his demise inextricably to the place of his greatest sins and corruption.
- and they buried (וַיִּקְבְּרוּ - vayyiqbərū): The standard practice for disposing of the dead. This action confirms his complete and final departure from the realm of the living and the end of his rule.
- the king (אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ - ʾeṯ-ha-meleḵ): Repetition of "the king" maintains focus on Ahab. It highlights that even in death, his identity as monarch, who opposed God, remains significant.
- in Samaria (בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן - bə-Šōmərôn): This repetition of Samaria emphasizes the final resting place. His body is brought to and buried in the very city that symbolized his wicked reign. This ensures his death and burial are closely tied to the consequences of his actions in his capital.
Words-group analysis:
- "So the king died, and was brought to Samaria": This phrase succinctly delivers the grim news of Ahab's death and the beginning of his posthumous journey. The "so" (וַיָּמָת) powerfully connects his death directly to the battle and the preceding prophecies, functioning as the ultimate verdict and immediate consequence.
- "and they buried the king in Samaria": The repetition of "the king" and "in Samaria" serves to strongly emphasize the fulfillment of divine decree concerning the man who sat on Israel's throne. The double mention of Samaria grounds his final resting place squarely within the territory where his most heinous sins were committed, connecting the scene of his wickedness to the scene of his final demise.
1 Kings 22 37 Bonus section
- Divine Irony: Ahab, who built a palace in Samaria and governed with immense pride, found his final resting place there after a futile attempt to defy a divine decree. His death by an unnamed, "random" archer adds a layer of irony, as it contrasts with his powerful kingly status, demonstrating that God can use the most insignificant means to achieve His purposes.
- Contrast with Elijah's Prophecy: While this verse details the death and burial in Samaria, the immediate subsequent verse (1 Kgs 22:38) links back directly to Elijah's prophecy in 1 Kgs 21:19 concerning the dogs licking Ahab's blood at the exact spot where Naboth was unjustly murdered. The burial in Samaria doesn't contradict, but rather complements, the specific detail of Elijah's prophecy which focused on the humiliation of his house's bloodshed.
1 Kings 22 37 Commentary
1 Kings 22:37 is a succinct yet profoundly significant verse, marking the immediate, undeniable fulfillment of divine prophecy regarding King Ahab's demise. The preceding verses vividly describe Ahab's attempts to evade Micaiah's dire warning by disguising himself, only for God's sovereign will to orchestrate his fatal wounding by a randomly shot arrow. This verse seals his fate, confirming his death despite his deceptive maneuvers. The explicit mention of his body being brought back and buried in Samaria emphasizes the public acknowledgment of his death and situates it within the context of his own kingdom. Samaria, his chosen seat of power and the epicenter of his idolatrous reign, becomes his final resting place, thus concluding the narrative arc of his notorious kingship with divine justice served on the very stage of his greatest rebellion. This verse underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating that no human power, no strategic cunning, and no alliance can thwart the execution of His Word. It stands as a stark reminder of the inevitability of divine judgment upon persistent disobedience, serving as a powerful theological statement on the consequences of rebellion against the LORD.