· Translation: KJV

2 Chronicles 18:15The king said to him, "How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?"

The setting

The tension breaks. King Ahab is furious at the sarcasm and formally puts Micaiah under oath. In ancient Israel, lying under God's name meant death.

The emotion here: frustrated and cornered - wanting lies but demanding truth

The original word

hishbia (הַשְׁבִּעֲךָ) — 'I adjure you' - putting someone under the most solemn oath possible

Why it matters

This is the same oath formula used in court proceedings - Ahab is essentially putting Micaiah on trial

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Chronicles 18:15

Ahab has used this oath before - he knows Micaiah always tells the truth when formally sworn in, which is exactly what he doesn't want to hear

Common misconceptionPeople think Ahab really wants the truth, but he's actually trying to force Micaiah into a legal corner. Ahab wants the prophet to either lie under oath (and face execution) or tell the truth he doesn't want to hear.

Bible Genome reading

2 Chronicles 18:15 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerAhab
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotiondeciding
Literary typenarrative
MarkCommand

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability50%
Memorability50%
Crisis relevance70%
Standalone40%
Themes:truth seekingaccountability

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Chronicles 18

2 Chronicles 18:15 comes from the book of 2 Chronicles, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Ahab. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include truth seeking, accountability. Notable phrases: speak to me nothing but the truth. This verse contains a command.

Your reflection

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