XVIII Jehoshaphat joins affinity with Ahab, and consents to go with him to Ramoth-gilead, ver. 1-3. The false prophets promise them success, ver. 4-11. Micaiah foretells the death of Ahab, ver. 6-27. Jehoshaphat hardly escapes, ver. 28-32. Ahab slain, ver. 33, 34.

Verse 1. With Ahab - For Joram's eldest son married Athaliah, Ahab's daughter.

Verse 4. Inquire, &c. - This we should do, whatever we undertake, by particular, believing prayer, by an unbiased consulting of the scriptures and our own consciences, and by a close regard to the hints of providence.

Verse 22. Lying spirit, &c. - See the power of Satan! One lying spirit can make four hundred lying prophets. And thus he frequently becomes a murderer by being a liar, and destroys men by deceiving them.

Verse 26. This fellow, &c. - How frequently has this been the lot of faithful ministers, to be hated and ill treated, merely for being true to God: and just and kind to the souls of men! But that day will declare who is in the right, and who is in the wrong, when Christ appears to the unspeakable consolation of the persecuted, and the everlasting confusion of their persecutors.

Verse 31. Cried out - He cried out, either to his friends to help, or to his enemies, to let them know, he was not the king of Israel: or to God, and not in vain; for he moved the captains to depart from him. Many are moved in a manner unaccountable both to themselves and others; but an invisible power moves them.