1 Kings 22:16

1Ki 22:16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but [that which is] true in the name of the LORD?

Ver. 16. How many times shall I adjure thee?] I charge thee again and again, as by solemn oath. Here he makes a great flaunt of love to the truth, which, when it was told him, he could by no means bear or brook. But how impudent was the devil, in adjuring our Saviour by God not to torment him! {Mar 5:7}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. How many times shall I adjure thee] It would seem from this that Ahab on former occasions had consulted Micaiah, and been dissatisfied with his answers.

that thou tell me nothing but that which is true] R.V. that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth. This is very nearly the form in 2 Chron. in A.V. The Hebrew is exactly the same. And both are in R.V. made to agree.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he saith, hear thou therefore the word of the Lord,.... Since he had represented what he had said as proceeding from hatred to him, he would make it clear and plain that what he had said was the word of the Lord, and according to his mind; and that what the other prophets had said was owing to a lying spirit in them, which the Lord suffered for his ruin; all which are represented as in a vision, in which things are brought down to the capacities of men, and not as really transacted:

I saw the Lord sitting on his throne; so it was represented to his mind, as if he had seen with his bodily eyes the divine Being in a glorious form, as a king sitting on his throne, to do justice and judgment; as Ahab and Jehoshaphat were now sitting on their thrones, only as a far greater King, even the King of kings, and in a more splendid manner:

and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left the ministering angels ready to do his will.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

How many times shall I adjure thee? I adjure thee again and again, that thou give over this mockery, and seriously tell me the mind of God in this matter.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. How many times shall I adjure thee — Here observe how the same words, which in the mouth of the false prophets are by the king regarded as a prophecy of good, in the mouth of Micaiah are regarded as false and of evil omen.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the king said unto him How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord? Rawlinson concludes from these words that "this mocking manner was familiar to Micaiah, who had used it in some former dealing with the Israelite monarch." But we must remember that Ahab"s words were really addressed to Jehoshaphat. He is so manifestly playing a part, that we need not assume that he is strictly truthful. His great desire evidently is to discredit Micah"s predictions, which he clearly perceives, from the bitter and ironical tone of the latter, will be adverse to him.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

How many times must I require ... in the name of Yahweh?

Ahab asks this question out of frustration to rebuke Micaiah. AT: "Many times I have required ... in the name of Yahweh." (See: Rhetorical Question)

in the name of Yahweh

Here the word "name" refers to authority. AT: "as the representative of Yahweh" (See: Metonymy)

I saw all Israel

Here "all Israel" refers to the army of Israel. AT: "I saw the entire army of Israel" (See: Synecdoche)

like sheep who have no shepherd

The people of the army are compared to sheep that have no one to lead them because their shepherd, the king, has died. (See: Simile)

These have no shepherd

Yahweh speaks of the king as if he were a shepherd. Just like a shepherd is responsible to care for and protect his sheep, the king is responsible to lead and protect his people. AT: "These people no longer have a leader" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

king

oath

true

name

Yahweh

kingdom of Israel

ewe

shepherd

house

peace

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.