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Chapter 18
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Verse 1

Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab.

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

Verse 2

Some years later, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered an abundance of sheep and cattle for him and the people who were with him and persuaded him to go up to Ramoth Gilead.

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.

Verse 3

Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, 'Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?' Jehoshaphat replied, 'I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the battle.'

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.

Verse 4

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, 'Please, first seek the word of the LORD today.'

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

Verse 5

So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, 'Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or should I refrain?' They answered, 'Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.'

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.

Verse 6

But Jehoshaphat asked, 'Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?'

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

Verse 7

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man we can inquire of the LORD through, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.' Jehoshaphat said, 'The king should not say such things.'

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.

Verse 8

So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, 'Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.'

And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

Verse 9

The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

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.

Verse 10

Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made iron horns and declared, 'This is what the LORD says: With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.'

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.

Verse 11

All the other prophets were prophesying the same, saying, 'Go up to Ramoth Gilead and be victorious, for the LORD will give it into the king's hand.'

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.

Verse 12

The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, 'Look, the other prophets are all in agreement, predicting success for the king. Let your word be like theirs and speak favorably.'

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.

Verse 13

But Micaiah said, 'As surely as the LORD lives, I will say whatever my God says to me.'

And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

Verse 14

When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, 'Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or should I refrain?' 'Attack and be victorious,' he answered, 'for they will be given into your hand.'

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.

Verse 15

The king said to him, 'How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?'

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?

Verse 16

Then Micaiah said, 'I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, "These people have no master; let each one go home in peace."'

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.

Verse 17

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?'

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

Verse 18

Micaiah continued, 'Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing on his right and on his left.'

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.

Verse 19

And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' One suggested this, and another that.

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.

Verse 20

Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' 'By what means?' the LORD asked.

Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

Verse 21

He said, 'I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The LORD said, 'You will succeed in enticing him. Go and do it.'

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.

Verse 22

So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.

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.

Verse 23

Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. 'Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when he left me to speak to you?' he asked.

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?

Verse 24

Micaiah replied, 'You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.'

And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

Verse 25

The king of Israel then ordered, 'Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the ruler of the city, and to Joash, the king's son.'

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;

Verse 26

And say, "This is what the king says: Put this man in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely."

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.

Verse 27

Micaiah declared, 'If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.' Then he added, 'Mark my words, all you people!'

And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

Verse 28

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

Verse 29

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you wear your royal robes.' So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

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.

Verse 30

Now the king of Aram had commanded his chariot commanders, 'Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.'

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.

Verse 31

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, 'This is the king of Israel!' So they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; God diverted them away from him.

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.

Verse 32

When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from pursuing 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.

Verse 33

But a man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. The king said to his chariot driver, 'Turn around and get me out of the battle, for I am wounded.'

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.

Verse 34

The battle raged throughout the day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then, at sunset, he died.

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.

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Chapter 18
Next: 2-chronicles 19→