1 N ow Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab.

Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, but was allied with Ahab.

2 S ome years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance and for the people with him and persuaded him to go up with him against Ramoth-gilead.

3 A hab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And he said to him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle.”

Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? He answered, I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.

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

And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray you, for the word of the Lord today.

5 T hen the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.”

So King of Israel gathered together the prophets, 400 men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.

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

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not another prophet of the Lord here by whom we may inquire?

7 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, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” Ahab’s False Prophets Assure Victory

King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is another man, Micaiah son of Imla, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never has prophesied good for me, but always evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

8 T hen the king of Israel called an officer and said, “ Bring quickly Micaiah, Imla’s son.”

And King of Israel called for one of his officers and said, Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imla.

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

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

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

And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made himself horns of iron, and said, Thus says the Lord: With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.

11 A ll the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” Micaiah Brings Word from God

All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper; the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.

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

The messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him, Behold, the words of the prophets foretell good to the king with one accord. So let your word be like one of them, and speak favorably.

13 B ut Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, what my God says, that will I speak.

14 W hen he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand.”

And when he had come to the king, King said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go up and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

15 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 ?”

And the king said to him, How many times shall I warn you to tell nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?

16 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.’”

Then Micaiah said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said, These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.

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

And King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good to me, but evil?

18 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 on His right and on His left.

said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing at His right hand and His left.

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

And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said this thing, and another that.

20 T hen a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’

Then there came a spirit and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him. The Lord said to him, By what means?

21 H e said, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.’

And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. And the Lord said, You shall entice him and also succeed. Go forth and do so.

22 N ow therefore, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you.”

Now, you see, the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets; and the Lord has spoken evil concerning you.

23 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 smote Micaiah upon the cheek and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to you?

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

And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

25 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;

Then King of Israel said, Take Micaiah back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

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

And say, Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread and water of affliction until I return in peace.

27 M icaiah said, “If you indeed return safely, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “ Listen, all you people.” Ahab’s Defeat and Death

Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. And he, Hear it, you people, all of you!

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

So Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

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

And king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and will go to the battle, but you put on your royal robes. So King Ahab of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.

30 N ow the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.”

Now Syria’s king had commanded his chariot captains, Fight not with small or great, but only with the king of Israel.

31 S o when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him.

And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel. So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

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

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

33 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 the chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight, for I am severely wounded.”

A certain man drew his bow at a venture and smote King of Israel between the lower armor and the breastplate. So Ahab said to his chariot driver, Turn, carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.

34 T he battle raged that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot in front of the Arameans until the evening; and at sunset he died.

And the battle increased that day; however, King of Israel propped himself up in his chariot opposite the Syrians until evening, and about sunset he died.