1 N ow Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.

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

2 A fter certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead.

After 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.

3 A hab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.”

King 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.”

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

Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Ask first for word from the Lord.”

5 T hen the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” They said, “Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

So 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.”

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

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not another man who speaks for the Lord here whom we may ask?”

7 T he king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

The 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.”

8 T hen the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.”

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

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

The 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.

10 Z edekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, “Yahweh says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

Zedekiah 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.”

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

All 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.”

12 T he messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak good.”

Then 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.”

13 M icaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak.”

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

14 W hen he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” He said, “Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand.”

When 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.”

15 T he king said to him, “How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in Yahweh’s name?”

Then 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?”

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

So 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.’”

17 T he king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you 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 tell me anything good, but bad?”

18 M icaiah said, “Therefore hear Yahweh’s word: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

Micaiah 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.

19 Y ahweh said, ‘Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that way.

The 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.

20 A spirit came out, stood before Yahweh, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’

Then a spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will lead him to do it.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’

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

He 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.’

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

So 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.”

23 T hen 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?”

Then 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?”

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

Micaiah said, “See, you will see on that day when you go into a room to hide yourself.”

25 T he king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to 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 city leader, and to Joash the king’s son.

26 a nd 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 return in peace.”’”

Tell them, ‘The king says to put this man in prison. Feed him only a little bread and water until I return in peace.’”

27 M icaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you peoples, all of you!”

Micaiah 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

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

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

29 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 they went into the battle.

The 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.

30 N ow the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight neither with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”

Now 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.”

31 W hen the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

So 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.

32 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 war-wagons saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from going after him.

33 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 the chariot, “Turn your hand, and carry me out of the army; for I am severely wounded.”

But 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.”

34 T he battle increased that day. However the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening; and about the time of the going down of the sun, he died.

The 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.