The Meaning of 1 Kings 22:19 Explained

1 Kings 22:19

KJV: 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.

YLT: And he saith, 'Therefore, hear a word of Jehovah; I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing by Him, on His right and on His left;

Darby: And he said, Hear therefore the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left;

ASV: And Micaiah'said, Therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 22:19 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 22:13-28 - What Jehovah Saith… That Will I Speak
Ramoth was one of the cities of refuge, situated across the Jordan. The false prophets spake as they knew would please the king and gain the popular ear. But Micaiah did not scruple to say that the spirit of a demon was making use of their lips for the utterance of beguiling falsehood. He was evidently speaking metaphorically. By an ironical method of speech he suggested that the voices of such prophets were not to be accepted as truth. He knew well enough God's living voice. In the silence and solitude of his prison, shut away from all the world besides, he had learned to detect the accent of truth, and could easily discriminate between it and the lying boasts of the false prophets. We must try the spirits, whether they are of God, 1 John 4:1. Beware of being beguiled by every voice that speaks in your heart. God's voice almost always calls you to take up the cross and stand alone against the crowd. It summons to the straight gate and the narrow way.
"Carry him back!" cried the king. He hated the man of God, as the thief dreads a watch-dog. But better a thousand times be in that dungeon with Micaiah than faring sumptuously at Ahab's table. Do not hide yourself from the truth. Let it search, though it hurt you. It will save you from the unerring arrow.
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 22:19 mean?

and [Micaiah] said therefore hear the word of Yahweh I saw - Yahweh sitting on His throne and all the host of heaven standing by on His right hand and on His left
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָכֵ֖ן שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־ יְהוָ֑ה רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־ יְהוָה֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־ כִּסְא֔וֹ וְכָל־ צְבָ֤א הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו מִימִינ֖וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלֽוֹ

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  and  [Micaiah]  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שְׁמַ֣ע  hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
דְּבַר־  the  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
יְהוָ֑ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
רָאִ֤יתִי  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יֹשֵׁ֣ב  sitting 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
כִּסְא֔וֹ  His  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
צְבָ֤א  the  host 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
עֹמֵ֣ד  standing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
מִימִינ֖וֹ  on  His  right  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָמִין  
Sense: right, right hand, right side.
וּמִשְּׂמֹאלֽוֹ  and  on  His  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שְׂמֹאל  
Sense: the left, the left hand, the left side.