The Meaning of 1 Kings 22:8 Explained

1 Kings 22:8

KJV: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire 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.

YLT: And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, 'Yet -- one man to seek Jehovah by him, and I have hated him, for he doth not prophesy concerning me good, but evil -- Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, 'Let not the king say so.'

Darby: And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah; but I hate him, for he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil: it is Micah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

ASV: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 22:8 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 22:1-12 - Entering Into A New Partnership
It seems strange that so good a man as the king of Judah should have entered into such an alliance. It began with the marriage of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, and Athaliah, Ahab's daughter; but it was a terrible descent from the high standing of a servant of Jehovah for Jehoshaphat to say to a practically heathen king: "I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses." Partnerships like this, either in marriage or in business, are not only absolutely forbidden, but they are disastrous, in their ultimate outworking. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," 2 Corinthians 6:14.
Micaiah stands out in splendid contrast. His was the proud honor of being hated by Ahab, as was John the Baptist by Herod. But the prophet in his dungeon, with the bread and water of affliction, was a happier man by far than the king, though clad in royal robes and held in high respect. Is it not clear that Ahab, in his heart of hearts, feared this man of God? We shall see that he put off his royal robes and dressed in a common uniform, that he might evade the death that Micaiah predicted as his fate. Of course it did not avail. God cannot be evaded in that way. His purpose is irresistible.
1 Kings 22:1-53 - A Prosperous Nation
What a picture is here given of national contentment and prosperity! We can almost hear the gladsome voice of the myriad-peopled land, teeming with young life and laden with golden harvests. It was the summer of their national existence. The sacred scribe enumerates first the high officials of the court, then the daily provision of the king, his studies, and his fame. Abundant proof was yielded by all these circumstances to the manner in which God kept the pledges which had been made to David, his father.
Here is Solomon "in all his glory," but as we turn from him to the lowly Carpenter of Nazareth, who had nowhere to lay His head; who found His friends among the poor; and who ultimately laid down His life a ransom for many, we realize that, even apart from His divine nature, His was the nobler ideal and the richer existence. "A greater than Solomon is here." Who can measure His empire or resources? What tongue can recount His wisdom? Happy and safe are they that sit at His table, hear His words, and are joint-heirs with Him in His Kingdom! Romans 8:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 22

1  Ahab, seduced by false prophets, by Michaiah's word, is slain at Ramoth Gilead
37  The dogs lick up his blood, and Ahaziah succeeds him
41  Jehoshaphat's good reign
45  His acts
46  Jehoram succeeds him
51  Ahaziah's evil reign

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 22:8 mean?

So said the king of Israel to Jehoshaphat [there is] still man one we may inquire of Yahweh by whom but I hate him because not he does prophesy concerning me good for but evil Micaiah son of Imlah and said Jehoshaphat not let say the king such things
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ׀ אֶֽל־ יְהוֹשָׁפָ֡ט ע֣וֹד אִישׁ־ אֶחָ֡ד לִדְרֹשׁ֩ אֶת־ יְהוָ֨ה מֵאֹת֜וֹ וַאֲנִ֣י שְׂנֵאתִ֗יו כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ יִתְנַבֵּ֨א עָלַ֥י טוֹב֙ כִּ֣י אִם־ רָ֔ע מִיכָ֖יְהוּ בֶּן־ יִמְלָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט אַל־ יֹאמַ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ כֵּֽן

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ׀  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יְהוֹשָׁפָ֡ט  Jehoshaphat 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושָׁפָט 
Sense: son of king Asa and himself king of Judah for 25 years; one of the best, most pious, and prosperous kings of Judah.
ע֣וֹד  [there  is]  still 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
אִישׁ־  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָ֡ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
לִדְרֹשׁ֩  we  may  inquire 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֵאֹת֜וֹ  by  whom 
Parse: Preposition-m, Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וַאֲנִ֣י  but  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
שְׂנֵאתִ֗יו  hate  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
כִּ֠י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יִתְנַבֵּ֨א  he  does  prophesy 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָבָא  
Sense: to prophesy.
עָלַ֥י  concerning  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
טוֹב֙  good 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
רָ֔ע  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
מִיכָ֖יְהוּ  Micaiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִיכָיְהוּ  
Sense: an Ephraimite during the period of the judges.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִמְלָ֑ה  of  Imlah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִמְלָא 
Sense: father of Michaiah the prophet.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט  Jehoshaphat 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושָׁפָט 
Sense: son of king Asa and himself king of Judah for 25 years; one of the best, most pious, and prosperous kings of Judah.
יֹאמַ֥ר  let  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
כֵּֽן  such  things 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.