1 T hree years passed without war between Aram and Israel.

They continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

2 I n the third year 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 N ow 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?”

The king of Israel said to his servants, “You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we do nothing, and don’t take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”

4 A nd 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.”

He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

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

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for Yahweh’s word.”

6 T hen 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.”

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Should I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I refrain?” They said, “Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

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

But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of him?”

8 T he 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.”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

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

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

10 N ow 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.

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

11 T hen 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.’”

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, and said, “Yahweh says, ‘With these you will push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

12 A ll 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

All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

13 T hen 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.”

The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.”

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

Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak.”

15 W hen 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.”

When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?” He answered him, “Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

16 T hen 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 ?”

The king said to him, “How many times do I have to adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in Yahweh’s name?”

17 S o 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.’”

He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’”

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

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

19 M icaiah 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.

Micaiah said, “Therefore hear Yahweh’s word. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 T he Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that.

Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One said one thing; and another said another.

21 T hen a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’

A spirit came out and stood before Yahweh, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

22 T he 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.’

Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.’

23 N ow 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.”

Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you.”

24 T hen 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?”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did Yahweh’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?”

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

Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”

26 T hen the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son;

The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son.

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

Say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.”’”

28 M icaiah 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

Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, all you people!”

29 S o the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead.

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

30 T he 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.

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

31 N ow 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.”

Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”

32 S o 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.

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

33 W hen the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, 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 N ow 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.”

A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn your hand, and carry me out of the battle; for I am severely wounded.”

35 T he 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.

The battle increased that day. The king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.

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

A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun, 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 T hey 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.

They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood where the prostitutes washed themselves; according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke.

39 N ow 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?

Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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

So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

41 N ow Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

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

42 J ehoshaphat 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.

Jehoshaphat 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.

43 H e 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.

He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes. However the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

44 J ehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 N ow 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?

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he fought, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

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

The remnant of the sodomites, that remained in the days of his father Asa, he put away out of the land.

47 N ow there was no king in Edom; a deputy was king.

There was no king in Edom. A deputy ruled.

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

Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they didn’t go; for the ships wrecked at Ezion Geber.

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

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

50 A nd 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.

Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city. Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

51 A haziah 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.

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

52 H e 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.

He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, 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, in which he made Israel to sin.

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

He served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger, in all the ways that his father had done so.