Bible Strands
1 Kings 22:5
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jehoshaphat addresses the king of Israel immediately after agreeing to join his campaign against Ramoth-gilead. This occurs just before the king of Israel gathers four hundred prophets to ask whether to proceed with the war.
The words — דּרשׁ (de.rosh) means “to seek” or “inquire,” paired with נא (na), an earnest request particle meaning “please.” The phrase כיום (khai./Yom) literally renders “as the day,” indicating immediate action.
The thread — This directive appears identically in 2 Chronicles 18:4 and echoes the same demand in 2 Kings 3:11, where Jehoshaphat again requires a prophet of the LORD before military action.
Why it lands — The text records Jehoshaphat insisting on divine verification before battle, prioritizing the word of the LORD over political alliance or majority prophetic consensus.
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 Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- 2 Chronicles 18:4 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
- 2 Kings 3:11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”
- Jeremiah 21:2 “Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”
- Jeremiah 42:2 Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can see with your own eyes.
- Numbers 27:21 He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”
- Ezekiel 20:1 In the seventh year, on the tenth day of the fifth month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and they sat down before me.
- Joshua 9:14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
- Judges 1:1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, “Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?”
- Judges 20:18 The Israelites set out, went up to Bethel, and inquired of God, “Who of us shall go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” “Judah will be first,” the LORD replied.