For a time there was peace between Israel and Aram. There had been an alliance of various nations against Assyria. This had been successful for a time, but now tension was about to split the alliance. Aram had returned the city of Ramoth-Gilead. This had been part of Transjordan under the Law of Moses (Deut 4:43), and had been promised to Israel in the treaty made by Ahab (1 Kings 20:34).
Jehosaphat f Judea came to visit Israel and Ahab invited Jehosaphat to join him in a war against Aram, but Jehosaphat advised him to seek the Lord first.
So Ahab brought in 400 tame prophets and they all agreed that he should attack Ramoth Gilead. However, a prophet's job is not to tell someone what they want to hear but what the Lord actually has to say. Jehosaphat realised that these prophets were not worth tuppence and urges Ahab to inquire of a real prophet. Ahab reveals his true nature by saying there was one, Micaiah, but he didn't like him, precisely because he prophesied the truth. Seemingly he did not realise that the reason he got "bad prophecies" was because he was bad! If he changed his ways then the word would change as well. This is a very human trait. Society does not like what the word of God says, so it rebukes the word instead of changing its actions.
Micaiah was called. Zedekiah was the leader of the useless prophets and made a dramatic show of the false prophecies. This sort of behaviour still goes on today with charlatans of various sorts adding drama to their supposed words. The true word of God can be given simply.
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