King James Version

What Does 1 Kings 22:40 Mean?

“So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.”

Context

And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

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?

So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

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Commentary

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Chapter 22 David's psalm of thanksgiving. --This chapter is a psalm of praise; we find it afterwards nearly as Psa 18. They that trust God in the way of duty, shall find him a present help in their greatest dangers: David did so. Remarkable preservations should be particularly mentioned in our praises. We shall never be delivered from all enemies till we get to heaven. God will preserve all his people, 2Ti 4:18. Those who receive signal mercies from God, ought to give him the glory. In the day that God delivered David, he sang this song. While the mercy is fresh, and we are most affected with it, let the thank-offering be brought, to be kindled with the fire of that affection. All his joys and hopes close, as all our hopes should do, in the great Redeemer.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Kings 22:40 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.