The Death of Ahab at Ramoth-gilead

During the third year of peace between Syria and Israel, Ahab king of Israel requested Jehoshaphat king of Judah to join him in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead from the king of Syria. Jehoshaphat agreed but requested that they first inquire for the word of the Lord. Ahab gathered approximately four hundred prophets who unanimously predicted success. However, at Jehoshaphat’s request, Ahab summoned Micaiah son of Imlah, a prophet whom Ahab stated he hated because Micaiah never prophesied good concerning him (1 Kings 22:8). Before Micaiah arrived, the prophet Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made horns of iron and claimed that with them Ahab would push the Syrians until they were consumed (1 Kings 22:11).

Micaiah initially spoke in a manner mirroring the other prophets, but after Ahab adjured him to speak only the truth, Micaiah described a vision of Israel scattered on the hills as sheep without a shepherd. He further described a vision of a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets, sent by the Lord to persuade Ahab to go to his fall at Ramoth-gilead. In response, Zedekiah struck Micaiah on the cheek, and Ahab ordered that Micaiah be imprisoned and fed with the bread and water of affliction until Ahab returned in peace. Micaiah replied that if Ahab returned at all, the Lord had not spoken by him (1 Kings 22:28).

Ahab and Jehoshaphat went to Ramoth-gilead, where Ahab disguised himself while Jehoshaphat wore his royal robes. The king of Syria had commanded his thirty-two captains to fight only with the king of Israel. The captains initially pursued Jehoshaphat, mistaking him for Ahab, but they turned away when Jehoshaphat cried out. A certain man drew a bow at a venture and struck Ahab between the joints of his harness (1 Kings 22:34). Ahab instructed his chariot driver to turn and carry him out of the host, for he was wounded. Ahab was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians until evening, at which point he died. The blood from his wound ran into the midst of the chariot, and the text does not say who the archer was.