2 Chronicles 18:9

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in [their] robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

And the king {H4428} of Israel {H3478} and Jehoshaphat {H3092} king {H4428} of Judah {H3063} sat {H3427} either {H376} of them on his throne {H3678}, clothed {H3847} in their robes {H899}, and they sat {H3427} in a void place {H1637} at the entering in {H6607} of the gate {H8179} of Samaria {H8111}; and all the prophets {H5030} prophesied {H5012} before {H6440} them.

Now the king of Isra'el and Y'hoshafat the king of Y'hudah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their royal robes; they were sitting in a threshing-floor at the entrance to the gate of Shomron; and all the prophets were there, prophesying in their presence.

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.

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

Commentary

Commentary on 2 Chronicles 18:9 (KJV)

2 Chronicles 18:9 KJV: "And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in [their] robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them."

Context

This verse sets the stage for a pivotal moment in the united monarchy's history, highlighting the dangerous alliance between Jehoshaphat, the righteous King of Judah, and Ahab, the wicked King of Israel. Jehoshaphat had formed a controversial alliance with Ahab, primarily for military purposes against Ramoth-gilead. Before committing to battle, Jehoshaphat, unlike Ahab, insisted on consulting the Lord's prophets. Verse 9 describes the solemn, official setting for this inquiry: both kings, arrayed in royal attire, are seated on their thrones in a public space near the city gate of Samaria, where judgment and important decisions were typically made. This public assembly underscores the gravity of the decision at hand and the role of prophets in advising kings.

Key Themes

  • Royal Authority and Public Display: The kings sitting on their thrones, "clothed in their robes," signifies their supreme authority and the official nature of the gathering. The setting at the city gate emphasizes the public and judicial aspect of their decision-making.
  • Seeking Divine Counsel: Jehoshaphat's insistence on inquiring of the Lord (as seen in previous verses) highlights the importance of seeking spiritual guidance, even when faced with political and military pressures. This contrasts sharply with Ahab's general disregard for true prophecy.
  • The Role of Prophets: The presence of "all the prophets" signifies their societal and religious function as messengers between God and the kings. This scene immediately precedes the crucial distinction between false prophets, who tell kings what they want to hear, and the true prophet, Micaiah, who speaks God's unvarnished truth.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "void place" in the King James Version is translated from the Hebrew word goren (ื’ึผึนืจึถืŸ), which commonly refers to a threshing floor. A threshing floor was typically an open, flat area, often located just outside or within the city gate, used for winnowing grain. However, due to its spacious and accessible nature, it also served as a common gathering place for public assemblies, legal proceedings, and royal pronouncements. This detail reinforces the public and formal nature of the prophetic consultation.

Practical Application

This verse reminds us of several timeless principles:

  1. Discerning Counsel: Just as kings needed to discern between true and false prophets, we too must carefully evaluate the advice we receive, ensuring it aligns with God's truth rather than merely confirming our desires. Test the spirits to see whether they are from God.
  2. The Importance of Righteous Alliances: Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahab, despite his personal piety, brought him into a dangerous situation and later earned him rebuke. This illustrates the spiritual danger of aligning with those who do not honor God, particularly in significant endeavors.
  3. Seeking God's Will in Leadership: Leaders, whether in government, business, or family, have a profound responsibility to seek divine wisdom and guidance, especially when making decisions that impact many lives. This scene anticipates the crucial confrontation between the 400 false prophets who flattered Ahab and the lone true prophet, Micaiah.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Daniel 7:9 (2 votes)

    ยถ I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.

  • 2 Chronicles 18:29 (2 votes)

    And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

  • 1 Kings 22:10 (2 votes)

    And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

  • 1 Kings 22:12 (2 votes)

    And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the king's hand.

  • Matthew 6:29 (2 votes)

    And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

  • Ezekiel 26:16 (2 votes)

    Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at [every] moment, and be astonished at thee.

  • Isaiah 14:9 (2 votes)

    Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet [thee] at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, [even] all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.