Bible Strands
1 Kings 22:18
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The king of Israel addresses Jehoshaphat immediately after Micaiah announces a vision of Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd.
The words — The Hebrew הֲ/לוֹא (ha./lO') paired with אָמַ֣רְתִּי ('a.Mar.ti) constructs a rhetorical question translating literally to "did I not say," underscoring the king's prior warning about the prophet's unfavorable messages.
The thread — This remark directly references the king’s earlier confession in 1 Kings 22:8 that he dislikes the prophet for consistently forecasting disaster, and parallels the principle that dread overtakes the wicked in Proverbs 10:24.
Why it lands — The text records a monarch admitting his own bias against inconvenient prophecy, requiring the reader to confront whether personal preference dictates how they process correction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 22:8 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
- Proverbs 10:24 What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
- Proverbs 27:22 Though you grind a fool like grain with mortar and a pestle, yet his folly will not depart from him.
- Proverbs 29:1 A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
- Luke 11:45 One of the experts in the law told Him, “Teacher, when You say these things, You insult us as well.”