1 Kings 22:39

_NOW THE REST OF THE ACTS OF AHAB, AND ALL THAT HE DID, AND THE IVORY HOUSE WHICH HE MADE, AND ALL THE CITIES THAT HE BUILT, ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL?_ The rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made. Ivory came into great use among the Hebrews in the reign of Solomon (1 Kings 10:18; 1 Kings 10:22), through the Indian commerce he commenced. The Assyrians had long before applied it extensively in the decoration of their houses ('Nineveh and its Remains,' 2:, p. 420), and borrowing this style from the past became a favourite fashion among the later Hebrews, to use it in ornamenting their furniture, and even in the construction of palaces ...

29-40 Ahab basely intended to betray Johoshaphat to danger, that he might secure himself. See what they get that join with wicked men. How can it be expected that he should be true to his friend, who has been false to his God! He had said in compliment to Ahab, I am as thou art, and now he was indeed taken for him. Those that associate with evil-doers, are in danger of sharing in their plagues. By Jehoshaphat's deliverance, God let him know, that though he was displeased with him, yet he had not deserted him. God is a friend that will not fail us when other friends do. Let no man think to hide himself from God's judgment. God directed the arrow to hit Ahab; those cannot escape with life, whom God has doomed to death. Ahab lived long enough to see part of Micaiah's prophecy accomplished. He had time to feel himself die; with what horror must he have thought upon the wickedness he had comm...

Verse 39. _IVORY HOUSE_] A royal palace which he built in Samaria, decorated with _ivory_, and hence called the _ivory house_. _Amos_ the prophet speaks against this luxury, Amos 3:15....

THE IVORY HOUSE - So called from the character of its ornamentation. Ivory was largely used in the ancient world as a covering of wood-work, and seems to have been applied, not only to furniture, but to the doors and walls of houses. Nothing is known of the cities built by Ahab; but the fact is important as indicating the general prosperity of the country in his time, and his own activity as a ruler. Prosperity, it is plain, may for a while co-exist with causes - such as, the decay of religions - which are sapping the vital power of a nation, and leading it surely, if slowly, to destruction. THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES ... - See above, 1 Kings 14:19; 1Ki 15:31; 1 Kin

EXPOSITION THE EXPEDITION OF AHAB AND JEHOSHAPHAT AGAINST HRAMOTH-GILEAD. THE DEATH OF AHAB. THE REIGNS OF JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAZIAH. 1 KINGS 22:1 AND THEY CONTINUED [rather, _rested_._ _Heb. _sate_, _dwelt_._ _Cf. Judges 5:17. The LXX. has ἐκάθισε, sing.] THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAR [The Hebrew explains the "rested"—_there was not war, _etc. See Ewald, 286 g

NOW THE REST OF THE ACTS OF AHAB, AND ALL THAT HE DID, AND THE IVORY HOUSE WHICH HE MADE,.... Which, being a very curious and extraordinary thing, is particularly mentioned; though perhaps it might not be made wholly of ivory, but inlaid with it; we read of ivory houses in Amos 3:15, AND ALL THE CITIES THAT HE BUILT, ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL? in which the acts of his predecessors were recorded, see 1 Kings 14:19 not the Scripture book of Chronicles, for there none of these things are related....

CHAPTER 22 THE DEATH OF AHAB _ 1. Jehoshaphat and Ahab (1 Kings 22:1)_ 2. The prophet Micaiah (1 Kings 22:13) 3. The battle and Ahab's death (1 Kings 22:29) 4. Jehoshaphat of Judah (1 Kings 22:41; 1 Kings 2 Chron. 19-20) 5. Ahaziah, King of Israel (1 Kings 22:51) Three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. In the third year Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to Ahab. Jehoshaphat's son and heir-apparent ha

AHAB'S ATTACK ON RAMOTH-GILEAD AND HIS DEATH. The death of Ahab must have taken place before or during the year 854 B.C., when the battle of Qarqara was fought, and his name is mentioned in the Assyrian inscription (p. 69). The question is, did he take part in that battle as a vassal of Bir-' idri (Ben-hadad) before or after the war related in 20. In the latter case his death was probably later in 854 B.C. The chapter is a continuation of the latter case his 20, and from the same source with additions. Jehoshaphat, whose son married Ahab's daughter (2 Kings 8:18), is present as Ahab's ally. Here, as in 1 Kings 20, 21, there is no allusion to the Baal worship. Ahab's prophets are prophets of Yahweh, and the king can muster four hundred. The rivalry is between true and false prophecy. It is not known where Ramoth-gilead (the heights of G.) actually was. It was a most important place, menti...

_the ivory house that he made_[R.V. BUILT] The verb is the same as in the next clause. The house was of course not of ivory, but largely adorned with it. That such adornment prevailed in Oriental lands, see Amos 3:15. The family of Ahab were great builders. It was the father of this king who in his short reign built Samaria, and Ahab apparently built several cities, i.e. perhaps restored and beautified them. Omri's building of Samaria, however, was the founding of a new capital....

E. CONCLUDING NOTE ON THE REIGN OF AHAB 22:39-40 TRANSLATION (39) And the rest of the deeds of Ahab and all which he did, and the house of ivory which he built, and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? (4) And Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son ruled in place of him. COMMENTS As the account of Ahab's reign concludes, two other brief notices about his accomplishments are given. Ahab, like his father, was a city builder, and apparently was responsible for building several towns. He was perhaps most famous for his ivory palace, i.e., a house with ivory inlays (1 Kings 22:39). Upon his death Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah whose name means _whom Yahweh upholds_ (1 Kings 22:40). This name per