PROPHET OF THE LORD IN THE DAYS OF AHAB, THE ONE AHAB SAID HE HATED · TWO KINGDOMS

Micaiah. One man against four hundred: “what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.”

SCRIPTURE CALLS

Prophet

ERA

Two kingdoms 930–586 BC

IN THE DAYS OF

Ahab · Jehoshaphat

BOOK

None bears the name

HOW THE WORD CAME

He bound himself by oath, before he reached the king: “what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.”

THE CALL

How the word came

  • He bound himself by oath, before he reached the king: “what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.” 1 Kings 22:14
  • His first answer repeated the four hundred: “Go, and prosper”. Only when the king adjured him to tell “nothing but that which is true” did he tell what he had seen. 1 Kings 22:15–16
  • He spoke in visions: “I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills”, and “I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him”. 1 Kings 22:17 1 Kings 22:19
  • From the textKings and Chronicles side by side. Ahab's complaint: “he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil” (Kings), “he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil” (Chronicles). Micaiah's oath: “what the LORD saith unto me” (Kings), “even what my God saith” (Chronicles). His first answer in Chronicles: “Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand”. The spirit offers to “persuade” Ahab in Kings and to “entice” him in Chronicles; Kings has “all these thy prophets”, Chronicles “these thy prophets”. His last word is “If thou return at all in peace” in Kings; Chronicles words the condition with a different adverb. Chronicles has no dogs at the pool of Samaria. 1 Kings 22:8 1 Kings 22:14–15 1 Kings 22:20–23 1 Kings 22:28 1 Kings 22:38 2 Chronicles 18:7 +4 more

BEFORE THE KINGS

Before two kings

KING OF ISRAEL

Ahab

“If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me.”

1 Kings 22:28 (KJV) →

KING OF JUDAH

Jehoshaphat

“Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?”

1 Kings 22:7 (KJV) →

THE MESSAGE

The word in its main themes

Only what the LORD says

“As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.”

1 Kings 22:14 (KJV) →

Sheep without a shepherd

“I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.”

1 Kings 22:17 (KJV) →

A lying spirit in the prophets' mouths

“Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.”

1 Kings 22:23 (KJV) →

THE WORD TO …

To whom the word was spoken

TO THE KING'S MESSENGER

“As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.”

1 Kings 22:14 (KJV) →

TO AHAB

“Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.”

1 Kings 22:19 (KJV) →

TO ZEDEKIAH SON OF CHENAANAH

“Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.”

1 Kings 22:25 (KJV) →

TO THE PEOPLE

“Hearken, O people, every one of you.”

1 Kings 22:28 (KJV) →

SIGNS

Signs and wonders

VISION

Israel scattered on the hills

VISION

The LORD on his throne

COMPANIONS AND OPPONENTS

Who stood with him, and against him

Imlah

His father

Zedekiah son of Chenaanah

Opponent

The four hundred prophets

Opponents

Amon, governor of the city

Joash, “the king's son”

HOW THE STORY ENDS

Scripture says, tradition says

SCRIPTURE SAYS

  • Ahab ordered: “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.” Micaiah's last recorded words are his answer. 1 Kings 22:26–28
  • Ahab went up to Ramoth-gilead disguised; an arrow drawn “at a venture” struck him between the joints of the harness, and he “died at even”. A cry went through the host, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.” 1 Kings 22:29–37
  • Chronicles tells the same and ends “about the time of the sun going down he died”. 2 Chronicles 18:28–34
  • From the textScripture does not say what became of Micaiah after he was led away. 1 Kings 22:26–28

TRADITION SAYS

No tradition is recorded here.

OPEN QUESTIONS

Where readers have differed

No ground for it

C. F. Keil (tr. 1872), p. 274

Keil calls the identification “mere conjecture”, while inferring from “carry him back” (22:26) that Ahab had already imprisoned Micaiah for an unwelcome prophecy. 1 Kings 22:8 1 Kings 22:26 [1]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 2

1 Kings 22 2 Chronicles 18

PASSAGES · 2

1 Kings 22:1–38 2 Chronicles 18:1–34

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture records no call for Micaiah and no other prophecy than this one scene.
  • Kings and Chronicles do not say whether Micaiah was released, or how his story ended.
  • Scripture does not say why Ahab had to “carry him back” to Amon (1 Kings 22:26), or for what earlier word.

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), pp. 234–235 (Tishbe), 240–241 (the third year), 260–261 (Horeb; Elisha's call), 272–281 (Naboth; 1 Kings 22), 292–293 (the double portion), 299–300 (Bethel), 334–335 (2 Kings 8:10), 343 (2 Kings 9:25–26); read in the archive.org scan text.
  • C. F. Keil, tr. A. Harper, The Books of the Chronicles (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), pp. 396–398 (2 Chronicles 21:12–15); read in the archive.org scan text.
  • C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 1 (Keil and Delitzsch; translation first published 1868, this printing 1878) (1868), Introduction to Jonah, pp. 379–388; read in the archive.org scan text.
  • E. B. Pusey, The Minor Prophets, with a Commentary (first issued in parts from 1860; printing of 1869) (1869), Introduction to Jonah, pp. 248 and 255; read in the archive.org scan text.
  • S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (1891), ch. VI, §5 (Jonah), pp. 300–304; read in the archive.org scan text.
  • George Adam Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets, vol. 2 (The Expositor's Bible) (1898), ch. XXXIV, The Book of Jonah, pp. 497–500 and 507–509; read in the archive.org scan text.
  • John Richard Sampey, “Jonah” and “Jonah, The Book of”, International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. 3 (1915), pp. 1727–1729; read in the archive.org scan text.
  • F. K. Farr, “Elijah”, International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. 2 (1915), p. 930; read in the archive.org scan text.
  • T. Witton Davies, “Sirach (Book of)”, International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. 4 (1915), §VIII, Date (Davies: the Hebrew work about 200 BC; “scholars differ”); read in the archive.org scan text.
  • Justin Martyr, tr. M. Dods and G. Reith, Dialogue with Trypho, Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 1 (1885), ch. 49, pp. 219–220; checked in the archive.org scan text.
  • Tertullian, tr. P. Holmes, A Treatise on the Soul, Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 3 (1885), chs. 35 and 50, pp. 217 and 227; checked in the archive.org scan text.
  • Hippolytus, tr. S. D. F. Salmond, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 5 (1886), §43, p. 213; checked in the archive.org scan text.
  • Augustine, tr. M. Dods, The City of God, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series 1, vol. 2 (1887), 20.29, p. 448; Schaff's preface for the dates 413–426; checked in the archive.org scan text.
  • Jerome, tr. W. H. Fremantle, Letters and Select Works, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series 2, vol. 6 (1893), Letter 108.13, p. 202; prolegomena chronology (Paula's death, 404; the commentary on Jonah, given as 395 in the notes on the prefaces and 397 in the table); checked in the archive.org scan text.
  • John Calvin, tr. William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, vol. 2 (1845), on Matthew 11:14, Matthew 14:1–2 and Matthew 17:10–11 (CCEL transcription).
  • Rodger C. Young, Chronological tables: Table 1, Chronology of the Kings of Israel (Thiele's system as revised by McFall and Young; dates cited as facts only) (undated web tables, read 2026-10-07), Table 1 (Ahab, Jeroboam II), as used on the rulers-israel pages.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
  • W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), Introduction, §8.

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