And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
And say, 'This is what the king commands: Put this man in prison and give him only the bare minimum of bread and water to keep him alive until I return safely from battle.'
King Ahab is ordering the prophet Micaiah to be imprisoned and given prison rations until he returns from a battle he's confident he'll win.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative, King Ahab of Israel had consulted prophets about going to war against Ramoth-gilead, and Micaiah, a true prophet, boldly warned him of defeat and death, which angered the king. Ahab, rejecting the prophecy, ordered Micaiah to be imprisoned and given meager, distressing rations as punishment until Ahab's return. This event reflects the common ancient Near Eastern conflicts between kings who wielded absolute power and prophets who spoke God's unchanging truth.
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