Now aJehoshaphat had
great
riches
and honor
; and he allied
himself by marriage
with Ahab
.
aSome years later
he went
down
to visit Ahab
at Samaria
. And Ahab
slaughtered
many
sheep
and oxen
for him and the people
who
were with him, and induced
him to go
up against
Ramoth-gilead
.
Ahab king
of Israel
said
to Jehoshaphat
king
of Judah
, "Will you go
with me against Ramoth-gilead
?" And he said
to him, "I am as you are, and my people
as your people
, and we will be with you in the battle
."
Moreover, Jehoshaphat said
to the king
of Israel
, "Please
inquire
1first
for the word
of the LORD
."
Then the king of Israel
assembled
the prophets
, four
hundred
men
, and said
to them, "Shall we go
against
Ramoth-gilead
to battle
, or
shall I refrain
?" And they said
, "Go
up, for God
will give
it into the hand
of the king
."
But Jehoshaphat said
, "Is there
not yet
a prophet
of the LORD
here
that we may inquire
of him?"
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
, son
of Imla
." But Jehoshaphat
said
, "Let not the king
say
so
."
Then the king of Israel
called
an officer
and said
, " 1Bring
quickly
Micaiah
, Imla's
son
."
Now the king of Israel
and Jehoshaphat
the king
of Judah
were sitting
each
on his throne
, arrayed
in their robes
, and they were sitting
aat the threshing
floor
at the entrance
of the gate
of Samaria
; and all
the prophets
were prophesying
before
them.
Zedekiah the son
of Chenaanah
made
horns
of iron
for himself and said
, "Thus
says
the LORD
, `With these
you shall gore
the Arameans
until
they are consumed
.' "
All the prophets
were prophesying
thus
, saying
, "Go
up to Ramoth-gilead
and succeed
, for the LORD
will give
it into the hand
of the king
."
Then the messenger who
went
to summon
Micaiah
spoke
to him saying
, "Behold
, the words
of the prophets
are uniformly
favorable
to the king
. So please
let your word
be like one
of them and speak
favorably
."
But Micaiah said
, "As the LORD
lives
, awhat
my God
says
, that I will speak
."
When he came to the king
, the king
said
to him, "Micaiah
, shall we go
to Ramoth-gilead
to battle
, or
shall I refrain
?" He said
, "Go
up and succeed
, for they will be given
into your hand
."
Then the king said
to him, "How
many
times
must I adjure
you to speak
to me nothing
but the truth
in the name
of the LORD
?"
So he said, "I saw
all
Israel
Scattered
on the mountains
, aLike sheep
which
have
no
shepherd
; And the LORD
said
, `These
have no
master
. Let each
of them return
to his house
in peace
.' "
Then the king of Israel
said
to Jehoshaphat
, "Did I not tell
you that he would not prophesy
good
concerning
me, but evil
?"
Micaiah said, "Therefore
, hear
the word
of the LORD
. aI saw
the LORD
sitting
on His throne
, and all
the host
of heaven
standing
on His right
and on His left
.
"The LORD said
, `Who
will entice
Ahab
king
of Israel
to go
up and fall
at Ramoth-gilead
?' And one
said
this
while another
said
that.
"Then a aspirit came
forward
and stood
before
the LORD
and said
, `I will entice
him.' And the LORD
said
to him, `How
?'
"He said, `I will go
and be aa deceiving
spirit
in the mouth
of all
his prophets
.' Then He said
, `You are to entice
him and prevail
also
. Go
and do
so
.'
"Now therefore, behold
, athe LORD
has put
a deceiving
spirit
in the mouth
of these
your prophets
, for the LORD
has proclaimed
disaster
against
you."
Then Zedekiah the son
of Chenaanah
came
near
and astruck
Micaiah
on the cheek
and said
, " 1How
did the Spirit
of the LORD
pass
from me to speak
to you?"
Micaiah said
, "Behold
, you will see
on that day
when
you enter
an inner
room
to hide
yourself."
Then the king of Israel
said
, " aTake
Micaiah
and return
him to Amon
bthe governor
of the city
and to Joash
the king's
son
;
and say, `Thus
says
the king
, " aPut
this
man in prison
and feed
him 1sparingly
with bread
and water
until
I return
safely
.""'
Micaiah said
, "If
you indeed
return
safely
, the LORD
has not spoken
by me." And he said
, " aListen
, all
you people
."
So the king of Israel
and Jehoshaphat
king
of Judah
went
up against
Ramoth-gilead
.
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 they went
into battle
.
Now the king of Aram
had commanded
the captains
of his chariots
, saying
, "Do not fight
with small
or great
, but with the king
of Israel
alone
."
So when the captains of the chariots
saw
Jehoshaphat
, they said
, "It is the king
of Israel
," and they turned
aside
to fight
against
him. But Jehoshaphat
acried
out, and the LORD
helped
him, and God
diverted
them from him.
When the captains of the chariots
saw
that it was not the king
of Israel
, they turned
back
from pursuing
him.
A certain man drew
his bow
at random
and struck
the king
of Israel
1in a joint
of the armor
. So he said
to the driver
of the chariot
, "Turn
2around
and take
me out of the 3fight
, for I am
severely
wounded
."
The battle raged
that day
, and the king
of Israel
propped
himself up in his chariot
in front
of the Arameans
until
the evening
; and at sunset
he died
.