1 Kings 22:13 kjv
And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
1 Kings 22:13 nkjv
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement."
1 Kings 22:13 niv
The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably."
1 Kings 22:13 esv
And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably."
1 Kings 22:13 nlt
Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, "Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success."
1 Kings 22 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 18:21-22 | "...how may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?... If the thing does not happen..." | Discernment of false prophets by fulfillment. |
| Jer 14:14 | "The prophets are prophesying lies in My name... visions, divinations, empty idols, and the delusions of their own minds." | False prophets speak self-generated deceit. |
| Jer 23:17 | "They keep saying to those who despise Me, 'The LORD has said: You will have peace.'" | False prophets promise peace without truth. |
| Ezek 13:3 | "Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!" | Condemnation of prophets who follow self, not God. |
| Mic 3:5 | "Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who lead My people astray... if one does not put something into their mouths, they declare war against him." | Prophets swayed by personal gain/favor. |
| Zech 13:4 | "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies, nor will they wear a hairy cloak to deceive." | Future shame of deceptive prophets. |
| Mt 7:15 | "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." | Warning against deceptive teachers. |
| 2 Pet 2:1 | "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you..." | Prophetic deceit throughout history. |
| Num 22:38 | "I am unable to speak anything from myself. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth." | Balaam's declaration of divine submission. |
| Jer 1:9 | "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth." | God gives specific words to His prophets. |
| Ezek 2:7 | "You are to speak My words to them, whether they listen or not..." | Prophet's duty to speak God's word regardless. |
| Gal 1:10 | "For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man?" | Contrast of seeking man's favor versus God's. |
| Pro 29:25 | "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be safe." | Danger of human pressure versus trust in God. |
| Acts 5:29 | "We must obey God rather than men." | Principle of obedience to God over human authority. |
| Isa 51:7 | "Hear me, you who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law: do not fear the reproach of men, nor be dismayed at their revilings." | Courage not to fear human opposition. |
| 1 Ki 22:8 | "But Jehoshaphat said, 'There is still one man, Micaiah son of Imlah, through whom we can inquire of the LORD..." | Jehoshaphat's insight into true prophecy. |
| 1 Ki 22:15-17 | "So Micaiah came to the king... 'I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd.'" | Micaiah's true, contrasting prophecy. |
| 1 Ki 22:20-23 | "...A lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets." | God's allowance of deception for judgment. |
| 1 Ki 21:20-25 | "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD." | Ahab's rejection of God's word and rebellion. |
| Isa 30:10 | "who say to the seers, 'Do not see!' and to the prophets, 'Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions!'" | People desiring agreeable falsehoods. |
| Zech 8:16 | "Speak the truth to one another." | General call to truthfulness. |
| Eph 4:25 | "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor..." | Christian ethic of truthfulness. |
1 Kings 22 verses
1 Kings 22 13 Meaning
The messenger, representing King Ahab, urges the prophet Micaiah to align his prophecy with the universally positive pronouncements of the 400 court prophets. He presses Micaiah to offer encouraging words to the king, essentially asking him to prioritize the king's desire for good news and unified support over speaking a potentially unpopular divine truth. This pivotal moment underscores the conflict between prophetic integrity and human appeasement.
1 Kings 22 13 Context
This verse occurs at a critical juncture in the narrative of King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah. They are contemplating a joint military campaign to retake Ramoth-gilead from Aram. Ahab, eager for divine endorsement, consults 400 of his prophets, who uniformly prophesy victory. However, Jehoshaphat, discerning the lack of authentic divine inspiration among them, requests a true prophet of Yahweh. Reluctantly, Ahab summons Micaiah, whom he detests because Micaiah "never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." The messenger's plea to Micaiah in this verse serves as a preamble, conveying the prevailing atmosphere of uniform, favorable prophecy and the intense royal expectation for Micaiah to conform. Historically, kings in the ancient Near East often employed cultic prophets whose roles included bolstering royal decisions, sometimes leading to pressure for favorable pronouncements regardless of truth. This specific scenario pits the comfortable consensus of political expediency against the stark integrity of divine revelation.
1 Kings 22 13 Word analysis
- And the messenger: (מַלְאָךְ - mal'akh, literally "angel" or "emissary") This individual is a direct agent of the king's authority, signaling that the pressure on Micaiah is not just personal advice but a veiled royal directive. Messengers often held significant influence in royal courts.
- who went to call Micaiah: Highlights Micaiah's distinction from the large assembly of 400 prophets. He is not part of Ahab's standard court prophet entourage, indicating his independent standing, which makes him a potential source of dissenting, unwelcome truth.
- spoke to him, saying: A direct, personal address, emphasizing the earnestness and specific intention of the appeal.
- 'Indeed, the words of the prophets': The messenger frames the current situation. "The prophets" refers to the 400 assembled by Ahab. This statement sets a norm of expectation based on the already existing consensus. These were likely prophets supported by the royal court, possibly blending Yahwistic terms with syncretistic practices.
- 'with one accord': (פֶּה אֶחָד - peh echad, lit. "one mouth"). This phrase emphasizes a complete and undeniable unity in their pronouncements. The uniform nature of the 400 prophets' message is presented as an indicator of its supposed reliability or compelling force. It suggests that dissenting would be not just wrong, but almost an act against natural order or against royal decree, a "unanimity" that true prophecy rarely demonstrates if it requires compromising truth.
- 'encourage the king': The original Hebrew often implies speaking "good things" or "peace" (shalom). They are providing a positive, comforting, and favorable outlook that aligns with the king's desires and proposed actions. This contrasts sharply with God's typical call to repentance or revelation of judgment for a wicked king.
- 'Please, let your word be like the word of one of them': A strong exhortation for conformity. This is a direct appeal to Micaiah to suppress his prophetic gift and deliver a message of political convenience, essentially asking him to choose human favor over divine faithfulness. It's a demand to abandon the role of a true prophet.
- 'and speak encouragement.': A reiteration and reinforcement of the initial plea. The repetition emphasizes the messenger's single, clear expectation: that Micaiah's prophecy must be positive and reassuring to the king. It exposes the true desire: not for divine truth, but for a validating oracle.
- 'The words of the prophets...encourage the king': This phrase reveals the true function of the 400 prophets in Ahab's court: not to faithfully deliver God's word, but to provide pleasing prophecies that endorse the king's agenda. Their message is designed to affirm, not challenge. This highlights the polemic against false prophecy which aims to flatter rather than instruct.
- 'let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement': This direct instruction to Micaiah outlines the powerful societal and political pressure placed upon a true prophet. It demonstrates the prevalent human tendency to desire palatable lies over difficult truths, reflecting a lack of fear of the true God and a preference for human authority.
1 Kings 22 13 Bonus section
This incident prefigures the recurring conflict throughout the Bible between genuine divine authority, often spoken by a lone, courageous individual, and human consensus, especially when it supports worldly power. The messenger's words implicitly assume that Micaiah is capable of choosing his prophetic message, thus diminishing the concept of a prophet as a mere conduit for God's revealed will. This highlights a subtle attack on the very nature of true prophecy. Furthermore, the messenger's appeal for "encouragement" reflects the human tendency to seek confirming prophecies rather than discerning counsel, ultimately to their peril. The irony lies in the fact that genuine encouragement often comes through difficult truths and repentance, not through false promises.
1 Kings 22 13 Commentary
1 Kings 22:13 offers a potent portrayal of the temptation and pressure faced by a true prophet of God. The king's messenger, acting as an embodiment of the worldly desire for convenience and affirmation, directly challenges Micaiah's integrity. The "one accord" of the 400 false prophets symbolizes a deceptive unity—a consensus based on flattery and a fear of human disfavor rather than genuine divine inspiration. This moment sets the stage for a dramatic contrast between conformity that leads to destruction and solitary faithfulness that declares unwelcome truth. Micaiah's choice here will serve as a stark reminder that authentic prophecy does not seek popularity or peace at the expense of truth, often bringing confrontation to expose sin and warn of judgment.