2 Chronicles 18:15 meaning, Cross Ref, ai commentary KJV NIV ESV NLT

2 Chronicles 18:15 kjv

And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

2 Chronicles 18:15 nkjv

So the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

2 Chronicles 18:15 niv

The king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

2 Chronicles 18:15 esv

But the king said to him, "How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

2 Chronicles 18:15 nlt

But the king replied sharply, "How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the LORD?"

2 Chronicles 18 15 Cross References

Verse	Text	Reference
1 Kgs 22:7-8	And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord... bring him.” But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord... he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.”	Parallel account, Ahab's existing bias against Micaiah's prophecy.
Num 22:38	Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power at all to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that I must speak.”	A prophet's duty to speak only God's words.
Deut 18:20-22	But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak... By this you shall know the word... If the thing does not happen... it is not the word that the Lord has spoken.	Test for a true prophet vs. a false one.
Jer 14:14	The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them... they are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.	Warning against false prophecy.
Jer 23:25-28	“I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name... how long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies... let him who has my word speak my word faithfully.”	Distinction between God's true word and false ones.
Ezek 13:3-7	“Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! ... they have seen false visions and lying divinations.”	Condemnation of prophets relying on their own will.
1 Jn 4:1	Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.	The imperative to discern spiritual messages.
2 Pet 1:20-21	No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation... men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.	Divine origin and authority of true prophecy.
Prov 12:19	Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.	Enduring nature of truth.
Prov 23:23	Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.	The value and importance of truth.
Psa 15:4	who swears to his own hurt and does not change...	Integrity in taking oaths.
Lev 19:12	You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.	Prohibits profaning God's name through false oaths.
Matt 5:33-37	Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely...’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all... Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’	Jesus' teaching on integrity in speech, transcending oaths.
Jas 5:12	But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth... but let your 'yes' be yes and your 'no' be no.	New Testament emphasis on truthfulness over oaths.
Isa 30:9-10	For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, “Do not see!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions.”	The rejection of unwelcome truth.
1 Sam 15:23	For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.	Consequences of rejecting God's word.
2 Sam 12:7-13	Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”... David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”	Prophet Nathan confronts King David with truth.
Acts 5:3-4	Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit... You have not lied to man but to God.	The seriousness of lying to God/His Spirit.
2 Tim 3:16	All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.	The divine source and purpose of truth in Scripture.
Titus 1:9	He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.	The necessity of clinging to sound truth.
Jn 8:44	He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.	The devil as the antithesis of truth.

2 Chronicles 18 verses

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

2 Chronicles 18 15 Meaning

King Ahab, exasperated, presses the prophet Micaiah for an unvarnished and genuine word from the Lord. This verse highlights the king's distrust of Micaiah's initial sarcastic agreement with the false prophets, and his insistence that Micaiah speak only what God truly reveals, not what flatters the king. It underscores the profound tension between a king seeking favorable omens and a prophet bound to deliver God's unfiltered truth, however unpleasant.

2 Chronicles 18 15 Context

Chapter 18 of 2 Chronicles details the alliance between King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahab of Israel for a joint military campaign against Ramoth-gilead. Prior to engaging in battle, Jehoshaphat insists on consulting a prophet of the Lord. Ahab gathers his 400 "prophets," who universally declare a favorable outcome, telling the kings to "Go up, for God will deliver it into the hand of the king" (18:5). Jehoshaphat, sensing that these are not true prophets of the Lord, asks if there is truly no other prophet of Yahweh available. Reluctantly, Ahab admits to Micaiah ben Imlah, but complains that Micaiah never prophesies good concerning him, only evil. Despite his apprehension, Micaiah is summoned. When Micaiah first arrives, he sarcastically mimics the positive prophecies of Ahab's 400 prophets (18:14). It is at this point, perceiving Micaiah's sarcasm and knowing his reputation, that Ahab, desperate for a genuine word but still desiring a positive one, presses him with the question found in 2 Chronicles 18:15. This sets the stage for Micaiah's subsequent truthful and damning prophecy (18:16-22) concerning Ahab's death.

2 Chronicles 18 15 Word analysis

Then the king said to him,: Refers to King Ahab of Israel, speaking to Micaiah, the prophet of the Lord. Ahab's previous reluctance to summon Micaiah, and Micaiah's sarcastic initial reply (2 Chron 18:14), lead to this demand.
"How many times: From the Hebrew עַד מֶה פְּעָמִים (‘ad meh pe’amim), meaning "until what times" or "how often/repeatedly." It conveys Ahab's frustration, implying he has had this experience with Micaiah, or with similar situations, before. It highlights his weariness and impatience with disingenuous answers.
must I make you swear: The Hebrew is אַשְׁבִּעֲךָ ('ashbi'akha), from the verb שבע (shaba'), meaning to cause someone to swear an oath, to put under oath. This is a powerful legal and spiritual act in ancient Near Eastern culture, invoking divine judgment for falsehood. Ahab is demanding a binding, truth-pledging oath from Micaiah.
that you tell me nothing but the truth: כִּי לֹא־תְדַבֵּר אֵלַי אֶל־אֱמֶת (ki lo-tədabber 'elay 'el-'emet) – "that you will not speak to me except the truth." The word אֱמֶת ('emet) means truth, faithfulness, or reliability. It's a fundamental concept for God's character and Word. Ahab wants the authentic divine message, not what Micaiah perceives Ahab wants to hear or what he might hide.
in the name of the Lord?: בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה (b’shem YHVH). This is a critical invocation, forcing Micaiah to acknowledge the ultimate authority and source of his prophecy. It specifies that the truth must come from God, not from Micaiah's own opinion, political inclination, or even human wisdom. It underscores the prophet's responsibility to God first and foremost. Ahab is demanding a pure word directly from God's presence, understanding that a prophet's word 'in the name of the Lord' carries the highest divine sanction and obligation.
Words-group Analysis:
- "How many times must I make you swear": This phrase captures Ahab's weariness and the repeated tension he likely experienced with Micaiah, who previously prophesied unfavorable outcomes for him. It reveals a monarch who desires to hear positive things, yet instinctively knows Micaiah's reputation for speaking an unwelcome truth.
- "that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord": This entire clause is a potent demand. Ahab, a wicked king, paradoxically demands absolute divine truth. He understands that a prophecy 'in the name of the Lord' is supremely binding and expects Micaiah to divest himself of any sarcasm or human pretense, speaking only the direct word from Yahweh, for which Micaiah is truly known, in contrast to the false prophets around them. It is an acknowledgment, albeit reluctant, that true divine authority lies with Yahweh and His true prophet, even if the message is undesired.

2 Chronicles 18 15 Bonus section

The parallel account in 1 Kings 22:16 is almost identical, confirming the emphasis on Ahab's persistent demand for unvarnished truth from Micaiah, contrasting sharply with the king's habitual disregard for divine counsel.
This specific verse implicitly criticizes kingship that seeks divine affirmation for self-serving motives rather than submission to God's revealed will. Ahab wanted to go to war and sought justification rather than genuine guidance.
The scene underscores the often-unpopular nature of a true prophet's message when it challenges prevailing falsehoods or inconvenient truths. Micaiah embodies the faithful messenger whose loyalty is solely to God.
The demand for an oath "in the name of the Lord" showcases the sanctity and binding nature of God's Name in ancient Israelite culture, even acknowledged by an unrighteous king like Ahab. It meant an invocation that could not be taken lightly.

2 Chronicles 18 15 Commentary

2 Chronicles 18:15 stands as a pivot point in Micaiah's confrontation with King Ahab and his false prophets. Ahab, despite his wicked reign, knows that Micaiah is a genuine prophet and senses the sarcasm in Micaiah's initial agreeable reply. His demand, "How many times must I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?", exposes a core tension: a king desiring favorable outcomes but instinctively acknowledging the ultimate authority of a genuine word from God, even if it contradicts his desires. The king understands that a true word from the Lord cannot be compromised, disguised, or altered, and it stands above human desire or political expediency. Micaiah, now bound by such a potent oath, is released from any satirical pretense and proceeds to deliver the stark, unvarnished divine message, foretelling Ahab's death. This verse highlights the prophetic burden of truth, the inherent conflict between human will and divine decree, and God's consistent practice of revealing His purposes to His servants, regardless of whether kings or commoners wish to hear them. It demonstrates that even a wicked ruler might seek a truthful word from God, underscoring the universal human need for divine clarity, though many ultimately reject it.