מלכים א, פרק כ״ב, פסוק י״א

As the king prepares to march into battle, a dramatic prophetic display unfolds, designed to assure him of an absolute victory. At the center of this spectacle is Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, a false prophet [אברבנאל] who numbers among the prophets of Baal [מצודת דוד]. He is the initial target of a deceptive spirit, becoming the primary channel from which the remaining prophets draw their false inspiration [מלבי״ם].

To make his message convincing, Zedekiah crafts iron horns, perhaps even placing them on his own head as a visual aid [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The use of physical objects is a deliberate tactic. True prophets of God commonly perform symbolic actions and use tangible items to represent their visions. By imitating this familiar pattern, Zedekiah attempts to lend an air of absolute authenticity to his claims [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Through these iron horns, he delivers a clear directive: the king must gather his strength and overpower the enemy, as if physically goring them [מצודת דוד]. The act of goring represents a powerful, striking force [מצודת ציון], serving as a physical guarantee of an upcoming triumph [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The choice of horns as a symbol is highly calculated and personally tailored to the king. Ahab belongs to the tribe of Joseph and rules over the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh. Zedekiah draws his inspiration directly from the ancient blessing Moses gave to Joseph, which speaks of a majestic bull using the horns of a wild ox to gore the nations. By using this specific imagery, the false prophet tries to prove that God Himself revealed the vision of the horns, using a flattering connection to the king's own tribal heritage to win his trust [אברבנאל].