2 Chronicles 18

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

(1 Kings 22:1–12)

1Now JehoshaphatH3092 hadH1961 an abundanceH7230 of richesH6239 and honorH3519, and he allied himself with AhabH256 by marriageH2859. 2And some yearsH8141 laterH7093 he went downH3381 toH413 visit AhabH256 in SamariaH8111, where AhabH256 sacrificedH2076 manyH7230 sheepH6629 and cattleH1241 for him and the peopleH5971 with himH5973 and urged himH5496 to march upH5927 toH413 Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568.

3AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 askedH559 JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, “Will you goH1980 with meH5973 against Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568?”

And Jehoshaphat repliedH559, “IH3644 am as youH3644 are, and my peopleH5971 are your peopleH5971; we will join youH5973 in the warH4421.”

4But JehoshaphatH3092 also saidH559 toH413 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, “PleaseH4994 inquireH1875 firstH3117 for the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068.”

5So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 assembledH6908 the prophetsH5030, fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376, and asked themH559, “Should we goH1980 to warH4421 againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568, orH518 should we refrainH2308?”

“Go upH5927,” they repliedH559, “and GodH430 will deliver itH5414 into the handH3027 of the kingH4428.”

6But JehoshaphatH3092 askedH559, “Is there notH369 stillH5750 a prophetH5030 of the LORDH3068 hereH6311 of whom we can inquireH853H1875?”

7The kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 answeredH559, “There is stillH5750 oneH259 manH376 through whom we can inquireH1875 of the LORDH3068, but IH589 hate himH8130 becauseH3588 he neverH369 prophesiesH5012 anything goodH2896 for meH5921, but onlyH3588 badH7451. HeH1931 is MicaiahH4321 sonH1121 of ImlahH3229.”

“The kingH4428 should notH408 sayH559 thatH3651!” JehoshaphatH3092 repliedH559.

8So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H413 calledH7121 oneH259 of his officialsH5631 and saidH559, “BringH4116 MicaiahH4319 sonH1121 of Imlah at onceH3229.”

9DressedH3847 in royal attireH899, the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 were sittingH376H3427 onH5921 their thronesH3678 at the threshing floorH1637 by the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of SamariaH8111, with allH3605 the prophetsH5030 prophesyingH5012 before themH6440.

10Now ZedekiahH6667 sonH1121 of ChenaanahH3668 had madeH6213 for himself ironH1270 hornsH7161 and declaredH559, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘With theseH428 you shall goreH5055 the ArameansH758 untilH5704 they are finished offH3615.’”

11And allH3605 the prophetsH5030 were prophesyingH5012 the sameH3651, sayingH559, “Go upH5927 to Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568 and triumphH6743, for the LORDH3068 will deliverH5414 it into the handH3027 of the kingH4428.”

Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab

(1 Kings 22:13–28)

12Then the messengerH4397 whoH834 had goneH1980 to callH7121 MicaiahH4321 instructed himH1696, “BeholdH2009, with oneH6310 accordH259 the wordsH1697 of the prophetsH5030 are favorableH2896 toH413 the kingH4428. So pleaseH4994 let your wordsH1697 beH1961 likeH259 theirs, and speakH1696 favorablyH2896.”

13But MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “As surely as the LORDH3068H3588 livesH2416, I will speakH1696 whateverH834 my GodH430 tells meH559.”

14When Micaiah arrivedH935, the kingH4428 askedH559 himH413, “MicaiahH4318, should we goH1980 to warH4421 againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568, orH518 should we refrainH2308?”

“Go upH5927 and triumphH6743,” Micaiah repliedH559, “for they will be deliveredH5414 into your handH3027.”

15But the kingH4428 saidH559 to himH413, “How manyH5704H4100 timesH6471 must IH589 make you swearH7650 notH3808 to tell meH1696H413 anything butH7535 the truthH571 in the nameH8034 of the LORDH3068?”

16So Micaiah declaredH559:

17Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 toH413 JehoshaphatH3092, “Did I notH3808 tellH559 youH413 that he neverH3808 prophesiesH5012 goodH2896 for meH5921, but onlyH3588H518 badH7451?”

18Micaiah continuedH559, “ThereforeH3651 hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068: I sawH7200 the LORDH3068 sittingH3427 onH5921 His throneH3678, and allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064 standingH5975 onH5921 His rightH3225 and on His leftH8040.

19And the LORDH3068 saidH559, ‘WhoH4310 will enticeH6601 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 to march upH5927 and fallH5307 at Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568?’

And oneH2088 suggestedH559 thisH3602, and anotherH2088 thatH3602.

20Then a spiritH7307 came forwardH3318, stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068, and saidH559, ‘IH589 will entice himH6601.’

‘By what meansH4100?’ askedH559 the LORDH3068H413.

21And he repliedH559, ‘I will go outH3318 and beH1961 a lyingH8267 spiritH7307 in the mouthsH6310 of allH3605 his prophetsH5030.’

‘You will surely entice himH6601 andH1571 prevailH3201,’ saidH559 the LORD. ‘GoH3318 and doH6213 itH3651.’

22SoH6258 you seeH2009, the LORDH3068 has putH5414 a lyingH8267 spiritH7307 in the mouthsH6310 of theseH428 prophets of yoursH5030, and the LORDH3068 has pronouncedH1696 disasterH7451 against youH5921.”

23Then ZedekiahH6667 sonH1121 of ChenaanahH3668 went upH5066, struckH5221 MicaiahH4321 inH5921 the faceH3895, and demandedH559, “WhichH335H2088 wayH1870 did the SpiritH7307 of the LORDH3068 go when He departedH5674 from meH854 to speakH1696 with youH854?”

24MicaiahH4321H2005 repliedH559, “You will soon seeH7200, on thatH1931 dayH3117 whenH834 you goH935 and hideH2244 in an innerH2315 roomH2315.”

25And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 declaredH559, “TakeH3947 MicaiahH4321 and return himH7725 toH413 AmonH526 the governorH8269 of the cityH5892 and toH413 JoashH3101 the king’sH4428 sonH1121, 26and tell themH559 that this is whatH3541 the kingH4428 saysH559: ‘PutH7760 thisH2088 man in prisonH1004H3608 and feed himH398 only breadH3899H3906 and waterH4325H3906 untilH5704 I returnH7725 safelyH7965.’”

27But MicaiahH4321 repliedH559, “IfH518 you ever returnH7725 safelyH7965, the LORDH3068 has notH3808 spoken through meH1696.” Then he addedH559, “Take heedH8085, allH3605 you peopleH5971!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

(1 Kings 22:29–40)

28So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 went upH5927 toH413 Ramoth-gileadH7418H1568. 29And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 toH413 JehoshaphatH3092, “I will disguise myselfH2664 and goH935 into battleH4421, but youH859 wearH3847 your royal robesH899.” So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 disguised himselfH2664 and wentH935 into battleH4421.

30Now the kingH4428 of AramH758 had orderedH6680 his chariotH7393 commandersH8269, “Do notH3808 fightH3898 with anyoneH854, smallH6996 orH854 greatH1419, exceptH3588H518H854 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H905.”

31

When the chariotH7393 commandersH8269 sawH7200 JehoshaphatH3092, theyH1992 saidH559, “ThisH1931 is the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478!” So they turnedH5437 to fightH3898 against himH5921, but JehoshaphatH3092 cried outH2199, and the LORDH3068 helped himH5826. GodH430 drew them awayH5496 from himH4480. 32And when the chariotH7393 commandersH8269 sawH7200 thatH3588 he wasH1961 notH3808H1961 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, they turned backH7725 from pursuing himH310.

33However, a certain manH376 drewH4900 his bowH7198 without taking special aimH8537, and he struckH5221 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 betweenH996 the jointsH1694H996 of his armorH8302. So the king saidH559 to his charioteerH7395, “Turn aroundH2015H30271 and take me outH3318 ofH4480 the battleH4264, forH3588 I am badly woundedH2470!”

34The battleH4421 ragedH5927 throughout thatH1931 dayH3117, and the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H1961 propped himself upH5975 in his chariotH4818 facingH5227 the ArameansH758 untilH5704 eveningH6153. And at sunsetH935H8121 he diedH4191H6256.