2 Chronicles 18:20
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and sayd, I will entise him. And the Lord sayd vnto him, Wherewith? 2 Chronicles 18:20 (KJV)
The verse is part of the narrative in 2 Chronicles 18 that describes the alliance between the wicked king Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the righteous king of Judah. Ahab wanted to go to war against Ramoth‑gilead, and he sought Jehoshaphat’s support. Jehoshaphat agreed but wanted to inquire of the Lord first.
Before agreeing to join Ahab in battle, Jehoshaphat wanted to seek the counsel of the Lord. Ahab gathered his prophets who prophesied in his favour, but Jehoshaphat requested to hear from a prophet of the Lord. Micaiah was summoned, and he initially delivered a sarcastic response, but when pressed he prophesied that Ahab would be defeated in battle. Micaiah was also summoned and he initially delivered a genuine vision about scattered sheep leading to Ahab’s defeat.
In this verse, a spirit—described in the broader biblical context as a “lying spirit” sent by the LORD—comes before God and offers to tempt Ahab, leading him toward destruction. It shows that there is a spiritual realm beyond the physical world, and beings within that realm interact with God and can carry out specific assignments. A parallel account appears in 1 Kings 22:22, where the passage reads, “And the spirit of the LORD rose up, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will tempt him,” followed by the LORD’s question, “Wherewith?”
The spirit proposes to entice Ahab, but the LORD responds by asking, “Wherewith?” This exchange highlights God’s sovereignty and control over all spiritual entities and events. God is not taken by surprise or overpowered by evil forces; rather, He allows certain actions to take place within His divine purposes and plans.
The context surrounding this verse reveals that Ahab was a wicked king who did evil in the sight of the Lord. He had been led astray by false prophets who spoke lies, and God allowed this spirit to tempt Ahab further into his own destruction. The verse foreshadows the judgment that would come upon Ahab as a consequence of his disobedience.
