18
1 Now
Jehoshaphat had
riches and honor
in abundance;
and he allied himself
with Ahab.
2 After
some 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.
3 Ahab 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.”
4 Jehoshaphat
said to the
king of Israel, “Please
inquire first for
the LORD’s word.”
5 Then
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.”
6 But
Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there
here a prophet
of the LORD
besides, that we
may inquire of
him?”
7 The
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 the
son of Imla.”
Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t
let the king
say so.”
8 Then
the king of
Israel called an
officer, and said,
“Get Micaiah the
son of Imla
quickly.”
9 Now
the king of
Israel and
Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah
each sat 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.
10 Zedekiah
the son of
Chenaanah made
himself horns of
iron and said, “The
LORD says, ‘With
these you shall
push the Syrians,
until they are
consumed.’ ”
11 All
the prophets
prophesied so, saying, “Go
up to Ramoth
Gilead, and
prosper; for the
LORD will deliver
it into the
hand of the
king.”
12 The
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.”
13 Micaiah
said, “As the
LORD lives, I
will say what
my God says.”
14 When
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.”
15 The
king said to
him, “How many
times shall I
adjure you that
you speak to
me nothing but
the truth in
the LORD’s name?”
16 He said, “I
saw all Israel
scattered on the
mountains, as
sheep that have
no shepherd. The
LORD said, ‘These
have no master.
Let them each
return to his
house in peace.’ ”
17 The
king of Israel said
to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t
I tell you that
he would not
prophesy good
concerning me, but
evil?”
18 Micaiah
said, “Therefore
hear the LORD’s
word: I saw
the LORD sitting
on his throne,
and all the
army of heaven
standing on his
right hand and
on his left.
19 The
LORD said, ‘Who
will 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.
20 A
spirit came out,
stood before the
LORD, and said, ‘I
will entice him.’
“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.’
22 “Now
therefore, behold,
the LORD has
put a lying
spirit in the
mouth of these
your prophets; and
the LORD has
spoken evil
concerning you.”
23 Then
Zedekiah the son
of Chenaanah came
near, and struck
Micaiah on the
cheek, and said,
“Which way did
the LORD’s Spirit
go from me
to speak to
you?”
24 Micaiah said, “Behold,
you shall see
on that day,
when you go into
an inner room
to hide yourself.”
25 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;
26 and
say, ‘The king
says, “Put
this fellow in the
prison, and feed
him with bread
of affliction and
with water of
affliction, until
I return in
peace.” ’ ”
27 Micaiah
said, “If you
return at all
in peace, the
LORD has not
spoken by me.”
He said, “Listen,
you people, all
of you!”
28 So
the king of
Israel and
Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah
went up to
Ramoth Gilead.
29 The
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.
30 Now
the king of Syria
had commanded the
captains of his
chariots, saying, “Don’t fight
with small nor
great, except only
with the king
of Israel.”
31 When
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
the LORD helped
him; and God
moved them
to depart from him.
32 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 between
the joints of
the armor.
Therefore he said
to the driver
of the chariot, “Turn
around and carry
me out of
the battle, for
I am severely
wounded.”
34 The
battle increased
that day. However,
the king of
Israel propped
himself up in
his chariot
against the Syrians
until the evening;
and at about
sunset, he died.