Lives of Scripture

Zedekiah son of Chenaanah was one of about four hundred prophets Ahab king of Israel summoned before marching against Ramoth-gilead, all of whom promised him victory (1 Kings 22:6). When Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Ahab's ally in the campaign, pressed for a genuine word from the LORD, Zedekiah made himself iron horns and declared, "Thus says the LORD, 'With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed'" (22:11) -- a dramatic acted-out prophecy in the style of Israel's true prophets, but manufactured to tell the king exactly what he wanted to hear. Micaiah, the one prophet Ahab actually despised "because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil" (22:8), was summoned and described a vision of the LORD's throne room in which a lying spirit volunteered to deceive Ahab's prophets and lure him to his death (22:19-23). Zedekiah stepped forward and struck Micaiah on the cheek, demanding, "How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?" (22:24). Micaiah answered that Zedekiah would learn the truth on the day he tried to hide in an inner room (22:25). Ahab went to battle anyway, disguised to avoid detection, and was killed by a stray arrow -- exactly as Micaiah, not Zedekiah, had said (22:34-37). Zedekiah's confident, popular, and dramatically staged prophecy proved false; the one unwelcome word proved certain.