Useful Bible Studies > 1 Kings Commentary > chapter 22
A foolish person will not accept a wise answer. Therefore, it is sometimes right to answer a foolish person with a foolish answer (Proverbs 26:5).
Micaiah seemed to test Ahab with a foolish answer to his (Ahab’s) question. Ahab wanted to fight for Ramoth-Gilead. So, Micaiah gave the same answer that everyone else had given. However, because he genuinely knew God, his answer seems to have a different meaning. Micaiah told Ahab to do what he (Ahab) wanted to do. Even then, however, Ahab should realise that success can only come from the true God.
It seems that Micaiah had answered Ahab in that manner on previous occasions. Ahab did not like it. He was sure that God had given to Micaiah a message against him (against Ahab). That was why Ahab had not wanted to call Micaiah. However, now Jehoshaphat had forced Ahab to call Micaiah. Micaiah had come; and now Ahab was anxious to know what message God had given to Micaiah.
Ahab spoke firmly to Micaiah. Ahab did not want to hear from him a foolish answer, or clever words. He had plenty of other men who could speak such things to him. He had called Micaiah as a prophet, a holy man who spoke messages from the true God. Therefore, it was Micaiah’s serious duty to declare the truth that God had shown to him. Ahab even insisted that Micaiah must make a serious promise to God, to do this. If God had shown anything to Micaiah about this matter, he must declare it.
Next part: Israel's army would scatter like sheep (1 Kings 22:17-18)
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