By getting the king to agree to accept something he had not yet heard was described in the record as being caught with "guile." This word usually means something crafty and deceitful but it also means something that is clever or shrewd. In other words, Ammon was try to get the mind set of the king postured to listen sympathetically to what he was about to say. When Ammon gained a commitment that the king trusted him to tell the truth, Ammon boldly began teaching the king the gospel. He began by asking the king a question.