1 N ow Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor. And by a marriage he was joined with Ahab.

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

2 A fter some years he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. And he wanted Jehoshaphat to fight 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 K ing Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” He answered, “I am as you are. And my people are as your people. 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 T hen Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Ask first for word from the Lord.”

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

5 S o the king of Israel gathered together the 400 men who told what would happen in the future. He said to them, “Should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I wait?” 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 another man who speaks for the Lord here whom we may ask?”

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 him, “There is yet one man whom we may ask of the Lord. But I hate him. For he never tells me anything good, only bad. He is Micaiah, the son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat said, “You should not say that.”

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 for one of his captains and said, “Hurry, bring Micaiah the son of Imla.”

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

9 T he king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in king’s clothing. They were sitting at the grain-floor at the gate of Samaria. All the men who told what would happen in the future were speaking in front of 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, “The Lord says that with these you will hurt the Syrians until they are destroyed.”

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 men who told what would happen in the future were saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and win the battle. For the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

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 man who was sent to call Micaiah said to him, “See, all the men who tell what will happen in the future are speaking in the king’s favor. So I ask that you let your word be like one of them, and speak in the king’s favor.”

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, I will speak what my God says.”

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, should we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or should I wait?” Micaiah said, “Go up and win the battle. 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 tell 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 spread out on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no owner. 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 tell me anything good, but bad?”

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, “So hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne. All the armies of heaven were 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 lead King Ahab 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 and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will lead him to do it.’ 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 lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahab’s men who tell what will happen in the future.’ Then the Lord said, ‘You are to make him want to go, and you will do well. 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 S o now the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of your men who speak for God. For the Lord has said that trouble will come to 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 hit Micaiah on the side of the face, 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, “See, you will see on that day when you go into a 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 city leader, 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 T ell them, ‘The king says to put this man in prison. Feed him only a little bread and water until I return in peace.’”

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 do return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people.” Ahab Dies in Battle

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 King Jehoshaphat 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 dress up to look like someone else and go into battle. But you wear your king’s clothing.” So the king of Israel dressed up to look like someone else, 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 Syria had told the captains of his war-wagons, “Do not fight with small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”

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 war-wagons saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.” And they turned to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God made them go away 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 war-wagons saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from going after him.

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

33 B ut a certain man happened to shoot an arrow and hit the king of Israel in a joint of the battle-clothes. So the king said to the man on the war-wagon, “Turn around, and take me out of the battle. For I am hurt.”

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 was hard that day. And the king of Israel stood up against the sides of his war-wagon in front of the Syrians until the evening. When the sun went down, 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.