Commentators highlight the deep irony in King Ahab's demand. He solemnly charges Micaiah to speak "nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord," showing he recognized the prophet's previous positive message was sarcastic. As John Gill explains, Ahab knew the difference between a flippant answer and a true divine word. However, he demanded a truth he was ultimately unwilling to accept, revealing a desire for divine approval, not divine guidance.