דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ח, פסוק ז׳

A meeting between two monarchs reveals a deep divide in how they understand prophecy and divine truth. Ahab, the king of Israel, admits there is one more man through whom they can seek and hear the word of God [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, he explains that he deliberately avoided inviting this prophet initially due to a deep, mutual hatred [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Ahab justifies his anger by claiming the prophet only delivers negative messages. He assumes that because the prophet's past messages were always harsh, any future message will inevitably be bad as well [מלבי״ם]. The root of this ongoing tension stems from a past event, where the prophet Micaiah rebuked Ahab for freeing an enemy who was meant to be punished and destroyed [רש״י].

In response to this complaint, Jehoshaphat answers politely and respectfully, urging Ahab not to speak that way [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Jehoshaphat's reaction is based on the understanding that a prophet does not invent messages from his own heart. Instead, he merely delivers whatever God places in his mouth, meaning the prophet himself cannot be blamed for the harshness of his words [מצודת דוד]. This brief exchange highlights the stark contrast between the two leaders. Ahab, who surrounded himself with various types of prophets, treated a prophet as someone to be pushed away if his words were unpleasant, completely failing to recognize the unique nature of God's true messengers. In contrast, the God-fearing Jehoshaphat firmly believed that a leader has a duty to listen to a true prophet, even when the message is difficult and brings bad news [ביאור שטיינזלץ].