Bible Strands
1 Kings 22:30
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The king of Israel speaks to Jehoshaphat as they prepare to ascend to Ramoth-gilead for the campaign. He instructs Jehoshaphat to remain identifiable in his royal robes while he conceals his own identity.
The words — הִתְחַפֵּשׂ (hit.cha.Pes) denotes the reflexive action of disguising oneself, while מֶ֨לֶךְ (Me.lekh) identifies the speaker as the ruling authority of Israel.
The thread — This tactical concealment parallels Saul’s disguise in 1 Samuel 28:8 and Josiah’s attempt to avoid identification in 2 Chronicles 35:22, contrasting with the declaration in Jeremiah 23:24 that no one can hide from divine sight.
Why it lands — The verse records a historical military decision that exposes the limits of human strategy against sovereign oversight. It requires the reader to observe how tactical deception operates within the broader narrative of divine judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
Cross-references
- 2 Chronicles 35:22 Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.
- 1 Samuel 28:8 So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.”
- Jeremiah 23:24 “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
- 2 Samuel 14:2 So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act like a woman who has mourned for the dead a long time.
- 1 Kings 14:2 and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who spoke about my kingship over this people.
- 1 Kings 20:38 and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
- 1 Kings 22:10 Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
- 2 Chronicles 18:29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
- Psalms 12:2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.