1 Kings 22:8

8 Ahab answered, "There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad." "You shouldn't say that!" Jehoshaphat replied.

1 Kings 22:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:8

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one
man (Micaiah the son of Imlah), by whom we may inquire of the Lord,
&c.] And but one in Samaria; Elijah and Elisha were elsewhere:

but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy of good concerning me, but
evil;
who is thought to be the same that was several times with him when engaged in the war with the king of Syria, ( 1 Kings 20:13 1 Kings 20:22 1 Kings 20:28 1 Kings 20:35 1 Kings 20:38 ) and each time, excepting the last, he brought him good tidings; but because, in his last message, he told him, that, since he had let Benhadad go, his life should go for his life, and his people for his people, for that he hated him:

and Jehoshaphat said, let not the king say so;
which was very modestly, though perhaps too gently, said; suggesting that the prophets of the Lord should be heard, respected, and honoured, let their message be as it would, since they spake not of their own mind and will, but what they were moved unto by the Spirit of God.

1 Kings 22:8 In-Context

6 So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, "Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?" "Attack it," they answered. "The Lord will give you victory."
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there another prophet through whom we can consult the Lord?"
8 Ahab answered, "There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad." "You shouldn't say that!" Jehoshaphat replied.
9 Then Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once.
10 The two kings, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing place just outside the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.