1 ¶ And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.

2 A nd it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel.

In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 A nd the king of Israel said unto his slaves, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we are late in not taking it out of the hand of the king of Syria?

Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”

4 A nd he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “ I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

5 A nd Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD today.

Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.”

6 T hen the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

7 A nd Jehoshaphat said, Is there even yet a prophet of the LORD here that we might enquire of him?

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?”

8 A nd the king of Israel replied unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah, the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

9 T hen the king of Israel called a eunuch and said, Bring Micaiah, the son of Imlah, here quickly.

Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “ Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.”

10 A nd the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in the plaza at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

11 A nd Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus hath the LORD said, With these shalt thou push the Syrians until thou have consumed them.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘ With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’”

12 A nd all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead and be prospered, for the LORD shall deliver it into the king’s hand.

All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” Micaiah Predicts Defeat

13 A nd the messenger that had gone to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth; now let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them and speak that which is good.

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”

14 A nd Micaiah said, As the LORD lives, all that the LORD says unto me, that will I speak.

But Micaiah said, “ As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I shall speak.”

15 ¶ So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go and be prospered, for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “ Go up and succeed, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

16 A nd the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord ?”

17 T hen he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains as sheep without a shepherd; and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return each man to his house in peace.

So he said, “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.’”

18 A nd the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “ Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

19 T hen he said, Hear thou, therefore, the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne and all the host of the heavens standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

20 A nd the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said in this manner and another said in that manner.

The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that.

21 A nd there came forth a spirit and stood before the LORD and said, I will persuade him.

Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’

22 A nd the LORD said unto him, In what manner? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also; go forth and do so.

The Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.’

23 N ow, therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD has decreed evil concerning thee.

Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you.”

24 T hen Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, went near and smote Micaiah on the cheek and said, Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak unto thee?

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “ How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”

25 A nd Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.”

26 T hen the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and carry him back unto Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son

Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son;

27 a nd say, Thus hath the king said, 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, ‘Thus says the king, “ Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.”’”

28 A nd Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me. Then he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

Micaiah said, “ If you indeed return safely the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “ Listen, all you people.” Defeat and Death of Ahab

29 ¶ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramothgilead.

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead.

30 A nd the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and enter into the battle, but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “ I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

31 B ut the king of Syria commanded his thirty-two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.

Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.”

32 A nd when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Surely this is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 A nd it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 B ut a certain man, shooting his bow in perfection, smote the king of Israel between the joints of his coat of mail; therefore, he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thy hand and carry me out of the host, for I am wounded.

Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight; for I am severely wounded.”

35 A nd the battle had increased that day, and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians and died in the evening, and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

The battle raged that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans, and died at evening, and the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot.

36 A nd at the going down of the sun there went a proclamation throughout the camp, saying, Every man to his city and every man to his own land.

Then a cry passed throughout the army close to sunset, saying, “Every man to his city and every man to his country.”

37 S o the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria.

So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria.

38 A nd they washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria, and they also washed his armour; and the dogs licked up his blood, according unto the word of the LORD which he had spoken.

They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots bathed themselves there ), according to the word of the Lord which He spoke.

39 N ow the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

40 S o Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah, his son, reigned in his stead.

So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son became king in his place. The New Rulers

41 ¶ And Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel.

Now Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 J ehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

43 A nd he walked in all the ways of Asa, his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

He walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.

44 A nd Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45 N ow the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat and his might that he showed and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might which he showed and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

46 A nd the remnant of the male cult prostitutes, which had remained from the days of his father Asa, he consumed out of the land.

The remnant of the sodomites who remained in the days of his father Asa, he expelled from the land.

47 T here was then no king in Edom; there was a president instead of a king.

Now there was no king in Edom; a deputy was king.

48 J ehoshaphat had made ships in Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.

49 T hen Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said unto Jehoshaphat, Let my slaves go with thy slaves in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat was not willing.

50 A nd Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, his father, and Jehoram, his son, reigned in his stead.

And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place.

51 A haziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the year seventeen of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.

52 A nd he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin,

He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.

53 f or he served Baal and worshipped him and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

So he served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.