Now Jehoshaphat had riches
and honour
in abundance
, and joined affinity
with Ahab
.
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 he had with him, and persuaded
him to go up
with him to Ramothgilead
.
And Ahab king
of Israel
said
unto Jehoshaphat
king
of Judah
, Wilt thou go
with me to Ramothgilead
? And he answered
him, I am as thou art , and my people
as thy people
; and we will be with thee in the war
.
And Jehoshaphat said
unto the king
of Israel
, Enquire
, I pray thee, at the word
of the LORD
to day
.
Therefore the king of Israel
gathered together
of prophets
four
hundred
men
, and said
unto them, Shall we go
to Ramothgilead
to battle
, or shall I forbear
? And they said
, Go up
; for God
will deliver
it into the king's
hand
.
But Jehoshaphat said
, Is there not here a prophet
of the LORD
besides, that we might enquire
of him?
And the king of Israel
said
unto Jehoshaphat
, There is yet one
man
, by whom we may enquire
of the LORD
: but I hate
him; for he never prophesied
good
unto me, but always
evil
: the same is Micaiah
the son
of Imla
. And Jehoshaphat
said
, Let not the king
say
so.
And the king of Israel
called
for one
of his officers
, and said
, Fetch quickly
Micaiah
the son
of Imla
.
And the king of Israel
and Jehoshaphat
king
of Judah
sat
either
of them on his throne
, clothed
in their robes
, and they sat
in a void place
at the entering in
of the gate
of Samaria
; and all the prophets
prophesied
before
them.
And Zedekiah the son
of Chenaanah
had made
him horns
of iron
, and said
, Thus saith
the LORD
, With these thou shalt push
Syria
until they be consumed
.
And all the prophets prophesied
so, saying
, Go up
to Ramothgilead
, and prosper
: for the LORD
shall deliver
it into the hand
of the king
.
And the messenger that went
to call
Micaiah
spake
to him, saying
, Behold, the words
of the prophets
declare good
to the king
with one
assent
; let thy word
therefore, I pray thee, be like one
of theirs, and speak
thou good
.
And Micaiah said
, As the LORD
liveth
, even what my God
saith
, that will I speak
.
And when he was come to the king
, the king
said
unto him, Micaiah
, shall we go
to Ramothgilead
to battle
, or shall I forbear
? And he said
, Go ye up
, and prosper
, and they shall be delivered
into your hand
.
And the king said
to him, How many times
shall I adjure
thee that thou say
nothing but the truth
to me in the name
of the LORD
?
Then he 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 them return
therefore every man
to his house
in peace
.
And the king of Israel
said
to Jehoshaphat
, Did I not tell
thee that he would not prophesy
good
unto me, but evil
?
Again he said, Therefore hear
the word
of the LORD
; I saw
the LORD
sitting
upon his throne
, and all the host
of heaven
standing
on his right hand
and on his left
.
And the LORD said
, Who shall entice
Ahab
king
of Israel
, that he may go up
and fall
at Ramothgilead
? And one spake
saying
after this manner
, and another saying
after that manner
.
Then there came out a spirit
, and stood
before
the LORD
, and said
, I will entice
him. And the LORD
said
unto him, Wherewith?
And he said, I will go out
, and be a lying
spirit
in the mouth
of all his prophets
. And the LORD said
, Thou shalt entice
him , and thou shalt also prevail
: go out
, and do
even so.
Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put
a lying
spirit
in the mouth
of these thy prophets
, and the LORD
hath spoken
evil
against thee.
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
unto thee?
And Micaiah said
, Behold, thou shalt see
on that day
when thou shalt go
into an inner
chamber
to hide
thyself.
Then the king of Israel
said
, Take
ye Micaiah
, and carry him back
to Amon
the governor
of the city
, and to Joash
the king's
son
;
And say, Thus saith
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
.
And Micaiah said
, If thou certainly
return
in peace
, then hath not the LORD
spoken
by me. And he said
, Hearken
, all ye people
.
So the king of Israel
and Jehoshaphat
the king
of Judah
went up
to Ramothgilead
.
And the king of Israel
said
unto Jehoshaphat
, I will disguise
myself, and will go
to the battle
; but put
thou on thy robes
. So the king
of Israel
disguised
himself; and they went
to the battle
.
Now the king of Syria
had commanded
the captains
of the chariots
that were with him, saying
, Fight
ye not with small
or great
, save only with the king
of Israel
.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots
saw
Jehoshaphat
, that they said
, It is the king
of Israel
. Therefore they compassed about
him to fight
: but Jehoshaphat
cried out
, and the LORD
helped
him; and God
moved
them to depart from him.
For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots
perceived
that it was not the king
of Israel
, they turned back again
from pursuing
him.
And a certain man drew a bow
at a venture
, and smote
the king
of Israel
between the joints
of the harness
: therefore he said
to his chariot
man
, Turn
thine hand
, that thou mayest carry me out
of the host
; for I am wounded
.
And the battle increased
that day
: howbeit the king
of Israel
stayed himself up
in his chariot
against
the Syrians
until the even
: and about the time
of the sun
going down
he died
.