2 Chronicles 18 24

2 Chronicles 18:24 kjv

And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

2 Chronicles 18:24 nkjv

And Micaiah said, "Indeed you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!"

2 Chronicles 18:24 niv

Micaiah replied, "You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room."

2 Chronicles 18:24 esv

And Micaiah said, "Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself."

2 Chronicles 18:24 nlt

And Micaiah replied, "You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!"

2 Chronicles 18 verses

2 Chronicles 18 24 Meaning

This verse records the prophet Micaiah's direct and piercing retort to Zedekiah, the false prophet, after Zedekiah struck him. It predicts Zedekiah's future state of disgrace and fear: that a day will come when he will be forced to seek an innermost, private place to hide himself in shame, due to the calamitous fulfillment of Micaiah's true prophecy concerning King Ahab and the exposure of Zedekiah's own deceitful pronouncements. It signifies the inevitable and humiliating consequences awaiting those who speak lies in the Lord's name and resist divine truth.

2 Chronicles 18 24 Context

2 Chronicles chapter 18 details King Jehoshaphat of Judah's fateful alliance with King Ahab of Israel for a military campaign against Ramoth-gilead. Despite Jehoshaphat's plea to first inquire of the Lord, Ahab gathers 400 prophets who all deliver a uniformly positive prophecy of victory. However, Jehoshaphat senses their insincerity and presses Ahab to consult a genuine prophet of the Lord. Reluctantly, Ahab sends for Micaiah, whom he openly dislikes because Micaiah consistently prophesies misfortune for him.

When Micaiah finally appears, he initially gives a cynical "yes" to Ahab's query, echoing the other prophets, but when pressed by Ahab, he truthfully recounts a divine vision: God allowing a lying spirit to fill the mouths of Ahab's 400 prophets to entice Ahab to his doom. Zedekiah, a leader among these 400 false prophets, physically strikes Micaiah on the cheek, scornfully challenging how the Spirit of the Lord could have passed from him to Micaiah. Verse 24 is Micaiah's unyielding response to Zedekiah's physical assault and spiritual arrogance, predicting the precise nature of Zedekiah's eventual shame and judgment as the consequences of his deception become manifest with Ahab's death. This verse underscores the clash between divine truth and human deceit, validated by the immediate historical outcome for King Ahab, which would expose Zedekiah's falsehood.

2 Chronicles 18 24 Word analysis

• And Micaiah said (וַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ - vayyōʾmer Mīkhāyehû):
  • Vayyōʾmer (And he said): The vav conjunctive ("and") smoothly continues the narrative, following Zedekiah's aggressive action in the preceding verse (2 Chron 18:23). It signifies Micaiah's calm and resolute response, not intimidated by the assault.
  • Mīkhāyehû (Micaiah): "Who is like Yahweh?" - The name itself resonates with the truth-telling nature of this prophet, standing alone for God against a multitude. His pronouncements carried the authority of the Lord.
• Behold, you shall see it (הִנֵּה אַתָּה תִרְאֶה - hinnēh ʾattāh tirʾeh):
  • Hinnēh (Behold/Look!): An emphatic particle that commands attention, drawing the hearer to the seriousness and certainty of what is about to be revealed. It underscores the prophetic certainty of the coming event.
  • ʾattāh (you): Direct address to Zedekiah, making the judgment personal and unavoidable.
  • tirʾeh (you shall see): From the verb rāʾāh (ראה), "to see, perceive, understand." This future tense verb implies an inevitable, undeniable perception or experience of the truth. Zedekiah will not just hear about it but personally experience the outcome, which will reveal the lie. "It" refers to the disastrous outcome for Ahab and, by extension, the validation of Micaiah's prophecy and the exposing of Zedekiah's fraud.
• on that day (בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא - bayyôm hahûʾ):
  • bayyôm (on the day): This phrase typically points to a specific, decisive moment in time, often a day of reckoning or significant divine action.
  • hahûʾ (that): Distinguishes it as the particular day, understood to be the day when Ahab's prophecy comes to pass, leading to Zedekiah's downfall. It signals an immediate and direct cause-and-effect relationship between current deception and future consequence.
• when you go into an inner chamber (בְּבוֹאֲךָ חֶדֶר בְּחֶדֶר - bəvōʾăkhā ḥeḏer bəḥeḏer):
  • bəvōʾăkhā (in your coming/entering): Implies Zedekiah actively seeking this place, not merely finding himself there.
  • ḥeḏer bəḥeḏer (chamber in chamber / innermost chamber): ḥeḏer (חֶדֶר) refers to a room, often private or innermost. The repetition emphasizes extreme secrecy and confinement, highlighting the desperate measure Zedekiah will take. This is a highly significant phrase denoting a desperate attempt to conceal oneself, away from public view or the eyes of those who now see through his deception. It signifies shame, fear, and complete loss of his previous public bravado.
• to hide yourself (לְהֵחָבֵא - ləhēḥāvēʾ):
  • From the root ḥāvāʾ (חבא), meaning "to hide, conceal oneself, be hidden." This inflected form emphasizes the purpose of going into the inner chamber – self-preservation from a looming threat or deep-seated shame. It starkly contrasts with Zedekiah's public display of confidence and authority in striking Micaiah. He will go from publicly bold to privately humiliated.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And Micaiah said, 'Behold, you shall see it...": This sets up the authoritative prophetic utterance. The contrast is between Zedekiah's physical act of violence and Micaiah's verbal act of prophesying divine judgment, highlighting the power of God's word over human aggression. "You shall see it" emphasizes an undeniable, personal revelation.
• "...on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.": This phrase precisely foretells the outcome of Zedekiah's spiritual and physical hubris. "On that day" denotes immediate and visible consequence. "Inner chamber" and "hide yourself" paint a vivid picture of public disgrace turning into private shame and fear, where the false prophet is stripped of all authority and respect, left with nothing but a desire for concealment from the truth and its consequences. It’s a complete reversal of his previous stance.

2 Chronicles 18 24 Bonus section

The immediate fulfillment of Micaiah's primary prophecy about Ahab's death in the battle of Ramoth-gilead (2 Chron 18:34) would undoubtedly validate this secondary prophecy concerning Zedekiah. When Ahab dies as predicted, Zedekiah's elaborate "horns of iron" (2 Chron 18:10) and his false prophecies are exposed. His earlier public boasting would turn to overwhelming shame, necessitating his desire to "hide himself." This demonstrates a key test of a prophet in Israel, as outlined in Deuteronomy 18:22 – if what the prophet proclaims in the Lord’s name does not take place or come true, then it is a word the Lord has not spoken. Micaiah, by foretelling the consequences for both king and false prophet, confirms his divine commission. The spiritual battle in this chapter goes beyond just one prophet's words versus 400; it illustrates God's sovereignty over evil itself, allowing a "lying spirit" to act as an agent in judgment for those who choose deception.

2 Chronicles 18 24 Commentary

Micaiah's prophecy in 2 Chronicles 18:24 is a profound declaration of the divine order, asserting that truth will ultimately prevail over falsehood. It's not a vengeful curse, but a predictive statement about the inevitable shame awaiting those who choose to propagate lies in God's name, especially when validated by immediate historical events. Zedekiah, blinded by pride and supported by Ahab, believed he was superior, evidenced by his striking Micaiah. However, Micaiah exposes that Zedekiah's bravado is merely a façade; true courage and anointing come from God, not from striking His prophets. The imagery of Zedekiah hiding "in an inner chamber" starkly portrays a future of desperate shame and fear, directly contrasting his current public arrogance and false assurance. This prophetic word confirms God's active involvement in history, validating His true messengers through the fulfillment of their prophecies and judging those who wilfully mislead His people.