The Meaning of 1 Kings 22:4 Explained

1 Kings 22:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: And he saith unto Jehoshaphat, 'Dost thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead?' and Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, 'As I am, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.'

Darby: And he said to Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

ASV: And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 22:4 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 22:4 mean?

so he said to Jehoshaphat will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead Gilead and said Jehoshaphat the king of Israel I [am] as you [are] my people as your people my horses as your horses
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט הֲתֵלֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֛י לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה ؟ רָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֽוֹשָׁפָט֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כָּמ֧וֹנִי כָמ֛וֹךָ כְּעַמִּ֥י כְעַמֶּ֖ךָ כְּסוּסַ֥י כְּסוּסֶֽיךָ

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  so  he  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.
הֲתֵלֵ֥ךְ  will  you  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אִתִּ֛י  with  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה  to  fight 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִלְחָמָה  
Sense: battle, war.
؟ רָמֹ֣ת  at  Ramoth  Gilead 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רָמֹות גִּלְעָד  
Sense: an Israelite who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra.
גִּלְעָ֑ד  Gilead 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: גִּלְעָד  
Sense: a mountainous region bounded on the west by the Jordan, on the north by Bashan, on the east by the Arabian plateau, and on the south by Moab and Ammon; sometimes called ‘Mount Gilead’ or the ‘land of Gilead’ or just ‘Gilead’.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהֽוֹשָׁפָט֙  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.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  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.
כָּמ֧וֹנִי  I  [am] 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
כָמ֛וֹךָ  as  you  [are] 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: כְּמֹו  
Sense: like, as, the like of which conj.
כְּעַמִּ֥י  my  people 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כְעַמֶּ֖ךָ  as  your  people 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כְּסוּסַ֥י  my  horses 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
כְּסוּסֶֽיךָ  as  your  horses 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.