1 N ow three years passed without war between Syria and Israel.

Syria and Israel continued without war for three years.

2 T hen it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.

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

3 A nd the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”

And king of Israel said to his servants, Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we keep silence and do not take it from the king of Syria?

4 S o he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

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

5 A lso Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”

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

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 fight, or shall I refrain?” So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Then king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about 400 men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I hold back? And they said, Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 A nd Jehoshaphat said, “ Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”

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

8 S o the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “ There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good for me, but evil. Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say that.

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

Then king of Israel told an officer, Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.

10 T he king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor 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 in robes, each on his throne in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 N ow Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’”

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

12 A nd all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

And all the prophets agreed, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.

13 T hen the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

The messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him, Behold now, the prophets unanimously declare good to the king. Let your answer, I pray you, be like theirs, and say what is good.

14 A nd Micaiah said, “ As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”

But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, I will speak what the Lord says to me.

15 T hen he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king!”

So he came to the king. King said, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we hold back? And he answered, Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.

16 S o the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord ?”

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

17 T hen he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’”

And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said, These have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 A nd the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you 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 prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 T hen 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, on His right hand and on His left.

And Micaiah said, 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 hand and on His left.

20 A nd the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.

And the Lord said, Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? One said this way, another said that way.

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

Then there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him.

22 T he Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’

The Lord said to him, By what means? And he said, I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. said, You shall entice him and succeed also. Go forth and do it.

23 T herefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

So the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets; and the Lord has spoken evil concerning you.

24 N ow Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”

But Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to you?

25 A nd Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

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

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

king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, 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 fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.”’”

And say, The king says, Put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread and water of affliction until I come in peace.

28 B ut Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!” Ahab Dies in Battle

Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. He, Hear, O people, every one of you!

29 S o the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

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

30 A nd the 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 went into battle.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you put on your clothing. And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

31 N ow the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”

But the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, Fight neither with small nor great, but only with king of Israel.

32 S o it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.

And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. They turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

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

And 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 a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

But a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn around and carry me out of the army, for I am wounded.

35 T he battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot.

The battle increased that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and at nightfall he died. And the blood of his wound flowed onto the floor of the chariot.

36 T hen, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”

And there went a cry throughout the army about sundown, saying, Every man to his city and his own country,

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

For the king is dead! And was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.

38 T hen someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken.

And they washed chariot by the pool of Samaria, where the harlots bathed, and the dogs licked up his blood, as the Lord had predicted.

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

The rest of Ahab’s acts, all he did, the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

40 S o Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

So Ahab slept with his fathers. Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 J ehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat 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. 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 was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43 A nd he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

He walked in all the ways or customs of Asa his father, never swerving from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord. However, the high places were not taken away; for the people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

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

And Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel’s king.

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

The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, his might that 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 rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land.

And the remnant of the sodomites (the male cult prostitutes) who remained in the days of his father Asa, expelled from the country.

47 T here was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.

There was no king in Edom; a deputy was acting king.

48 J ehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.

Jehoshaphat ordered ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were 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 would not.

When Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with your servants in the ships, Jehoshaphat refused.

50 A nd Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place. Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

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

Ahaziah son of Ahab began his two-year reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.

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 had made Israel sin;

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

53 f or 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 the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger in all the ways his father had done.