2 Chronicles 18:27 kjv
And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
2 Chronicles 18:27 nkjv
But Micaiah said, "If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "Take heed, all you people!"
2 Chronicles 18:27 niv
Micaiah declared, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Mark my words, all you people!"
2 Chronicles 18:27 esv
And Micaiah said, "If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "Hear, all you peoples!"
2 Chronicles 18:27 nlt
But Micaiah replied, "If you return safely, it will mean that the LORD has not spoken through me!" Then he added to those standing around, "Everyone mark my words!"
2 Chronicles 18 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 22:28 | And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. | Parallel account of Micaiah's prophecy. |
| Deu 18:21-22 | And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken... | Criteria for a true prophet: prophecy must be fulfilled. |
| Jer 28:9 | The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him. | Fulfillment confirms a true prophet. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? | God's faithfulness and inability to lie. |
| Isa 55:11 | So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. | God's word always accomplishes its purpose. |
| Eze 13:6-7 | They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination...? | Condemnation of false prophets. |
| Mt 7:15-16 | Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. | Discerning false prophets by their outcome. |
| 2 Pet 2:1-3 | But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you... And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you... | Warning against false teachers and their motives. |
| 1 Jn 4:1 | Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. | Testing spirits and prophetic claims. |
| Deu 13:1-5 | If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods... thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet... | False prophets lead people astray from God. |
| Pro 11:21 | Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. | Wickedness will not go unpunished. |
| Isa 3:10-11 | Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. | The contrasting fates of righteous and wicked. |
| Gal 6:7 | Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. | Principle of reaping what is sown. |
| 2 Chr 18:34 | And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died. | Fulfillment of Micaiah's prophecy. |
| Pro 29:1 | He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. | Danger of rejecting rebuke/warnings. |
| Isa 30:10-11 | Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us. | Desire for pleasant lies over hard truth. |
| Jer 6:14 | They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. | False promise of peace. |
| 2 Tim 4:3 | For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. | People preferring teachers who tell them what they want to hear. |
| Hos 9:7-8 | The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. | Consequences of rejecting true prophets. |
| Acts 24:25 | And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled... | Response to truth, and judgment to come. |
| Rom 2:6 | Who will render to every man according to his deeds. | God's righteous judgment. |
2 Chronicles 18 verses
2 Chronicles 18 27 Meaning
This verse contains Micaiah the prophet's definitive statement to King Ahab. It serves as a direct, testable prophecy that if King Ahab returns safely from the battle at Ramoth-Gilead, then the Lord (Yahweh) has not spoken through Micaiah. It also includes a public call to "all ye people" to bear witness to this declaration, making it a public test of his prophetic veracity and God's word against the words of 400 false prophets. It predicts Ahab's death and stands as a clear proclamation of divine judgment.
2 Chronicles 18 27 Context
Chapter 18 of 2 Chronicles details the alliance between King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahab of Israel, solidified through marriage. Ahab proposes a joint military campaign to retake Ramoth-Gilead from the Arameans. Jehoshaphat, despite the unholy alliance, insists on seeking a word from the Lord. Ahab convenes 400 prophets, who all, with one voice, promise victory. However, Jehoshaphat perceives their lack of authenticity and requests a true prophet of Yahweh. Reluctantly, Ahab sends for Micaiah, a prophet he despises because "he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil." Micaiah initially gives a sarcastic affirmative prophecy mirroring the 400 prophets, then, under solemn warning from the messenger, gives a genuine, terrifying vision of Israel scattered without a shepherd and Ahab's demise. Despite Micaiah's clear warning, Ahab determines to go to battle, seeking to circumvent the prophecy by disguising himself. Micaiah's words in verse 27 serve as a final, unequivocal public challenge and prophecy concerning Ahab's fate, issued even as he is led away to be imprisoned.
2 Chronicles 18 27 Word analysis
- And Micaiah said: Micaiah (מִיכָיְהוּ, Mîḵayhu), meaning "Who is like Yahweh?". This name itself is significant as Micaiah stands alone against 400 false prophets, representing the unique power and sovereignty of the one true God, Yahweh. His words are not his own but Yahweh's. This emphasizes the divine origin of the prophecy, contrasting sharply with the 400 who spoke from their own imaginations or demonic influence.
- If thou return: This phrase creates a conditional prophecy. "If" (ʾim) implies a clear challenge to Ahab. It's not a mere possibility but an assertion that this will not happen. It sets up a divine test of Micaiah's prophetic office.
- at all in peace: The Hebrew word for "peace" is shalom (שָׁל֣וֹם), which encompasses well-being, safety, completeness, and prosperity. False prophets frequently promised "shalom" (Jer 6:14, 8:11; Eze 13:10) without conditions or reference to the people's sin. Micaiah here asserts that Ahab will experience no such shalom from the battle. This directly counters the smooth words of the 400 false prophets. The "at all" (hūḇ-tāšûḇ) reinforces the absolute nature of his declaration – there's no scenario where Ahab returns unharmed.
- the LORD hath not spoken by me: This is the core statement of prophetic authenticity. "LORD" (Yahweh, יְהוָה) signifies the covenant God of Israel. Micaiah states unequivocally that his message comes directly from Yahweh, emphasizing that the validity of his word rests on God's truthfulness. This challenges the authority and truth of all the other prophets who claimed to speak for God but offered a different message. It reiterates the test of a true prophet (Deu 18:22) where failure to fulfill meant the prophet was not from God.
- Hearken: Hebrew šim‘û (שִׁמְע֣וּ), an imperative meaning "listen!" or "pay attention!" It's a solemn command, demanding full public attention and underscores the seriousness and public nature of the prophecy.
- all ye people: The call to "all ye people" or "all you peoples" (kol-hā‘ammîm) emphasizes the public witness component of the prophecy. Micaiah invites everyone present, including Ahab's officials, Jehoshaphat, and the entire assembly, to observe the outcome. This makes the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of the prophecy undeniable, publicly validating or discrediting Micaiah as a prophet of Yahweh. It highlights God's willingness to reveal His truth openly, contrasting with clandestine deceptions.
2 Chronicles 18 27 Bonus section
The strong parallel between 2 Chronicles 18:27 and its almost identical counterpart in 1 Kings 22:28 highlights the crucial importance of this prophetic test in the biblical narrative of Ahab's downfall. The dual account underscores the public nature of the challenge and divine judgment against a disobedient king. Furthermore, Micaiah's willingness to "put it to the test" indicates the prophet's profound faith in the reliability of God's communication and his own calling. This scene also foreshadows the principle later seen in the New Testament, where false teachers are known "by their fruits" (Mt 7:16), meaning their ultimate impact and the outcome of their words and deeds. Ahab's deliberate attempt to thwart the prophecy by disguising himself shows the futility of human cunning against divine decree, as an "arrow shot at random" found him (2 Chr 18:33), confirming Micaiah’s word in remarkable detail. This speaks to God's precise control over events, even those seemingly random, to bring about His justice.
2 Chronicles 18 27 Commentary
Micaiah's prophetic declaration in 2 Chronicles 18:27 serves as a poignant and unyielding stand for divine truth against prevalent falsehood. Isolated and despised by the powerful King Ahab, Micaiah does not flinch. His bold statement turns his own life and prophetic reputation into a direct test case for God's word. If Ahab were to return safely, Micaiah would be proven a false prophet. If Ahab met his end as prophesied, then Yahweh's word, through Micaiah, would be definitively vindicated, and the lies of the 400 court prophets exposed. This confrontation illuminates the crucial distinction between true and false prophecy: true prophecy from God always aligns with His nature and word, often confronting sin and predicting unpleasant truths, while false prophecy often tells people what they want to hear, promising peace and prosperity without repentance. Micaiah’s prophecy directly opposes the superficial "peace" promised by false prophets and demonstrates God's sovereignty over earthly rulers and their designs. It is a powerful example of prophetic courage and the ultimate triumph of divine will.Practical applications:
- Discerning truth from falsehood requires comparing all claims against the ultimate revealed Word of God.
- Following the Lord may mean standing alone against popular opinion or powerful figures.
- God's judgment, though it may seem delayed, is certain for those who stubbornly reject His warnings.