Ahab strikes Micaiah and claims God speaks through him. As a result of Micaiah's prophecy, Ahab ordered Micaiah imprisoned until he returned from battle, unharmed (1 Kings 22:27). Perhaps concerned about the prophecy, Ahab disguised himself in battle rather than lead his troops openly as their king. However, Ahab was killed in battle after being struck by a randomly shot arrow. Micaiah's prophecy was fulfilled, contrary to the word of 400 false prophets, all of whom encouraged Ahab to attack with a prediction of victory. This account is also recorded in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 18. Interpretation Rabbinical interpretation The Babylonian Talmud (b.Sanhedrin 89a) accepts that the scene literally occurred in heaven. Against this Judah Halevi (Kuzari 3.73) considered the "prophecy" to be an example of the prophet's own rhetoric. This rhetoric is clear from the contrast of syntax used for the divination: "the word of Y-H-V-H" and "the spirit of Y-H-V-H" (2 Chronicles 18:23, 27). David Kimhi argues that "prophecy is true by definition", the spirit of Lord is often represented as an irrational and emotional response unlike the word of Lord, and following Judah Halevi also critically assesses that Micaiah might have himself presented the vivid scene, using poetic dramatization to frighten and convince Ahab - "not that he saw these things, nor did he hear them." "On 1 Kgs 22: 19-23, Radak adopts a bolder strategy to avoid a rational dilemma that never distressed the Rabbis. In that passage, the prophet Micaiah, responding to Ahab's false prophets who predicted military success against Aram, describes a vision of God sending a "lying spirit" to mislead the king. Radak rejects the rabbinic view (b. Sanh. 89 a) that this scene occurred in heaven, arguing that God could not have sent false prophecy, since "prophecy is true by definition". ... Instead, he argues that Micaiah actually fabricated this vivid scene, using poetic dramatization (divre meliza . . . derekh haza'at devarim) to frighten and thereby prevail upon Ahab." Pseudo-Epiphanius ("Opera," ii. 245) makes Micah an Ephraimite. Confounding him with Micaiah, son of Imlah (I Kings xxii. 8 et seq.), he states that Micah, for his inauspicious prophecy, was killed by order of Ahab through being thrown from a precipice, and was buried at Morathi (Maroth?; Mic. i. 12), near the cemetery of Enakim (Ένακεὶμ Septuagint rendering of ; ib. i. 10). According to "Gelilot Ereẓ Yisrael" (quoted in "Seder ha-Dorot," i.