מלכים א, פרק כ׳, פסוק ל״ח

A prophet orchestrates a carefully staged encounter designed to make King Ahab unknowingly pronounce his own judgment [רד״ק]. To set this trap, he positions himself along the king's travel route and waits for him to pass [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The success of this deception relies entirely on the prophet hiding his true identity. He changes his clothes to prevent any chance of recognition [רש״י, מצודת ציון]. The primary approach among commentators is that he uses a specific head covering, such as a thick scarf or wrap, pulling it down over his eyes to completely mask his face [רד״ק, מצודת ציון].

During this era, prophets were well-known public figures who were easily identified by their distinct, traditional garments. Because of this, simply covering his face is not enough to maintain the illusion. The prophet deliberately replaces his usual headwear with a completely different type of wrap, ensuring that the king of Israel will have absolutely no way to recognize him [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].