Lives of Scripture

Joash, a son of King Ahab of Israel, appears in one of Scripture's sharpest confrontations between true and false prophecy (1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 18). Before marching to war against Aram at Ramoth-gilead, Ahab summoned 400 prophets who unanimously promised victory. Suspicious of their unanimity, Jehoshaphat of Judah asked whether a prophet of the LORD was available, and Ahab reluctantly sent for Micaiah son of Imlah, admitting, "I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" (1 Kings 22:8). Micaiah first mocked Ahab with sarcastic agreement, then, pressed for the truth, described a vision of Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd and revealed that a deceiving spirit had filled the mouths of Ahab's yes-men prophets to lure him to his death (22:17-23). Enraged, Ahab ordered, "Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely" (22:27) -- and it was Joash, the king's own son, along with the city official Amon, who was given custody of the imprisoned prophet. Micaiah's parting words were a challenge to every future reader: "If you indeed return safely, the LORD has not spoken by me" (22:28). Ahab did not return safely; he died in that battle, struck by a random arrow, just as Micaiah foretold. Joash's brief role -- carrying out his father's order to silence an inconvenient true word from God -- stands as a quiet warning about power used to suppress truth rather than heed it.