1 Kings 22:16

16 The king said to him, "How many times do I have to warn you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of ADONAI?"

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 Mikhay'hu answered, "As ADONAI lives, whatever ADONAI says to me is what I will say."
15 When he reached the king, the king asked him, "Mikhay'hu, should we go up and attack Ramot-Gil'ad; or should we hold off?" He answered, "Go up, you will succeed, ADONAI will hand it over to the king."
16 The king said to him, "How many times do I have to warn you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of ADONAI?"
17 Then he said, "I saw all Isra'el scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and ADONAI said, 'These men have no leader; let everyone go home in peace.'"
18 The king of Isra'el said to Y'hoshafat, "Didn't I tell you that he wouldn't prophesy good things about me, but bad?"
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.