DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2014 August 20
The Death of Ahab (c. 1865)
Gustav Dore (1832-1883)
Romanticism Style
Dore's English Bible (1866)
Image Source: King James Bible Online
Explanation: The death of Ahab is the central event of 1 Kings 22. The kings featured in the chapter are Jehoshaphat, Ahab, Ahaziah, a deputy-king of Edom (a vassal of Jehoshaphat king of Judah), and Jehoram. The other central figure is the prophet Micaiah the son of Imlah. Ahab's death came about when he disregarded the prophecy of Micaiah. [Kings of Judah and Israel Chart]. [Chronologically and Thematically Related Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 18; 2 Chronicles 19; 2 Chronicles 20:32-37; 2 Chronicles 21:1; Psalm 82; Psalm 48].
After three years of peace between Syria and Israel, Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, visited Ahab, King of Israel. During the visit, Ahab suggested that he and Jehoshaphat take Ramothgilead out of the hand of Syria, since it rightfully belonged to Israel by terms of the treaty (1 Kings 20:34) which Ahab made with Benhadad. Jehoshaphat agreed to help Ahab recover it (1-4). Jehoshaphat asked that they consult the LORD about the venture. Ahab gathered 400 prophets, all of whom prophesied success. But Jehoshaphat asked if a prophet of the LORD might be consulted. Reluctantly, Ahab sent for Micaiah the son of Imlah, while the other prophets continued to prophesy (5-12). When Ahab's messenger found Micaiah, he told him to prophesy good things like the other prophets; but Micaiah said he would speak only what the LORD told him to say. When Micaiah arrived he told Ahab to go and prosper. Perhaps he said it in a droll or even sarcastic manner; but Ahab realized he was lying and demanded the truth. Micaiah then warned them against the venture, saying that he saw Israel scattered and warned them to return to their houses. Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?" And Micaiah said that the LORD had sent a lying spirit to speak through Ahab's prophets (13-23). One of the false prophets, Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah, slapped Micaiah and asked him which way the Spirit of the LORD went from him to go to Micaiah. Micaiah replied that he would find out when he went into an inner chamber to hide himself. Ahab then had Micaiah arrested and sentenced him to have bread and water until he returned in peace. But Micaiah said that if Ahab returned in peace the LORD had not spoken by him (24-28). Ahab and Jehoshaphat then went to war against the Syrians. Ahab disguised himself. Jehoshaphat kept his robes on. The king of Syria gave orders to single out Ahab during the fight. As the battle went on, the Syrian troops pursued Jehoshaphat, thinking he was Ahab. But Jehoshaphat cried out; and they realized that he was not Ahab; so they broke off the attack. And a certain man took a random shot and mortally wounded Ahab, not realizing whom he had shot. Ahab had his chariot driver remove him from the battle. He died in the evening; and blood collected in his chariot. The troops were then called home (29-36). They brought Ahab to Samaria and buried him there. When they washed his chariot and his armor, the dogs licked his blood, as the LORD had prophesied (37-40). Jehoshaphat continued his twenty-five year reign and did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, except for leaving the high places as places of worship (41-44). The rest of Jehoshaphat's acts were recorded in the court records. And he removed the remnant of the sodomites out of the land (45-46). A deputy-king ruled in Edom, under the authority of Jehoshaphat. And Jehoshaphat made Eziongeber, on the shore of the Red sea, in Edom, a port city for a shipping venture which he and Ahaziah, King of Israel, pursued. They made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold. But the ships were broken; and the venture failed because the LORD was against his alliance with the King of Israel (2 Chronicles 19:2; 2 Chronicles 20:35; 2 Chronicles 20:36-37). When Jehoshaphat died, his son Jehoram reigned in his stead (47-50). In Israel, Ahaziah the son of Ahab, reigned for two years, serving Baal and doing evil (51-53).
1 Kings 22
1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 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?
4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22 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.
23 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.
24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.
44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.
47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.
49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.
52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:
53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
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