2Chr 18
1
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.
2
And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and
oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and moved him to
go up [with him] to Ramoth-gilead.
3
And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to
Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people;
and [we will be] with you in the war.
4
And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray you, for the word
of YHWH.
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? And they said,
Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.
6
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of YHWH besides, that we may inquire
of him?
7
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire
of YHWH: but I hate him; for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil:
the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
8
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son
of Imla.
9
Now 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.
10
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says YHWH,
With these shall you push the Syrians, until they be consumed.
11
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for
YHWH will deliver it into the hand of the king.
12
And the messenger that 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,
I pray you, be like one of theirs, and speak you good.
13
And Micaiah said, As YHWH lives, what my God says, that will I speak.
14
And when he was come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead
to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go you up, and prosper; and they shall
be delivered into your hand.
15
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing
but the truth in the name of YHWH?
16
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no
shepherd: and YHWH said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house
in peace.
17
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy
good concerning me, but evil?
18
And [Micaiah] said, Therefore hear you the word of YHWH: I saw YHWH sitting upon his
throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
19
And YHWH said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at
Ramoth-gilead? And one spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that
manner.
20
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before YHWH, and said, I will entice him.
And YHWH said to him, Wherewith?
21
And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
And he said, You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.
22
Now therefore, behold, YHWH has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets;
and YHWH has spoken evil concerning you.
23
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and
said, Which way went the Spirit of YHWH from me to speak to you?
24
And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner
chamber to hide yourself.
25
And the king of Israel said, Take you Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor
of the city, and to Joash the king`s son;
26
and 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.
27
And Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, YHWH has not spoken by me. And he
said, Hear, you peoples, all of you.
28
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
29
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the
battle; but put you 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, Fight neither
with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
31
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they
said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him:
but Jehoshaphat cried out, and YHWH helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from
him.
32
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king
of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
33
And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between
the joints of the armor: wherefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn your
hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.
34
And the battle increased that day: nevertheless the king of Israel stayed himself
up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going
down of the sun he died.