מלכים א, פרק כ״ב, פסוק ו׳

Before embarking on a major military campaign, the king of Israel gathers hundreds of prophets to seek counsel on whether to advance into battle or hold back. This pivotal gathering marks the exact halfway point of the book in terms of its verse count [מנחת שי].

The true identity of these assembled prophets is a matter of discussion. One approach identifies them as false prophets, suggesting they are either the prophets of Asherah who survived Elijah's purge at Mount Carmel [מלבי״ם], or the prophets of Baal [מצודת דוד]. Conversely, another perspective argues that they are authentic prophets of God, noting that the intense persecution they previously faced had ended by this time [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

When the king asks if he should abandon the campaign, the prophets respond in complete unison, urging him to go forward [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, their declaration notably omits any specific mention of the war's destination. This vagueness is due to the source of their foresight; their message stems from magical practices that produce only cloudy, unclear visions, leaving them completely unaware of where the king is actually heading [מלבי״ם].

The specific title they use to refer to God also reveals their underlying motives. One view points out that throughout this book, true prophecy is always accompanied by God's most sacred, four-letter name, while the use of other titles indicates a reliance on foreign powers [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, the prophets may have deliberately chosen to invoke a name of God because the king of Judah was present. By doing so, they aimed to deceive him and create the illusion that they were authentic divine messengers [מצודת דוד].