1 Kings 22:16

16 But Ahab said to Micaiah, "How many times do I have to tell you to speak only the truth to me in the name of the Lord?"

1 Kings 22:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:16

And the king said unto him, how many times shall I adjure
thee
Not that he had as yet adjured him at all, or not till now; but he asks him how often he must be obliged to do it; and now he adjures him once for all, that he might not be forced to repeat it:

that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the
Lord?
for he observed he did not speak in the name of the Lord before, and what he said was not in a serious but ludicrous manner, and not to be regarded as truth.

1 Kings 22:16 In-Context

14 But Micaiah answered, "As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me."
15 When Micaiah came to Ahab, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth in Gilead or not?" Micaiah answered, "Attack and win! The Lord will hand them over to you."
16 But Ahab said to Micaiah, "How many times do I have to tell you to speak only the truth to me in the name of the Lord?"
17 So Micaiah answered, "I saw the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, 'They have no leaders. They should go home and not fight.'"
18 Then Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I told you! He never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad."
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.