1 Kings 22:14-28

14Micaiah answered, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord lives, I will tell him whatever the Lord tells me.”

15When he came to the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or not?” Micaiah said to him, “Attack and you will win. The Lord will hand it over to you.”

16The king asked him, “How many times must I make you take an oath in the Lord’s name to tell me nothing but the truth?”

17So Micaiah said, “I saw Israel’s troops scattered in the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These ⌞sheep⌟ have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ”

18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he wouldn’t prophesy anything good about me, only evil?”

19Micaiah added, “Then hear the Lord’s word. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing near him on his right and his left.

20The Lord asked, ‘Who will deceive Ahab so that he will attack and be killed at Ramoth in Gilead?’ Some answered one way, while others said something else.

21“Then the Spirit stepped forward, stood in front of the Lord, and said, ‘I will deceive him.’ “ ‘How?’ the Lord asked.

22“The Spirit answered, ‘I will go out and be a spirit that tells lies through the mouths of all of Ahab’s prophets.’ “The Lord said, ‘You will succeed in deceiving him. Go and do it.’

23“So, the Lord has put into the mouths of all these prophets of yours a spirit that makes them tell lies. The Lord has spoken evil about you.”

24Then Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, went to Micaiah and struck him on the cheek. “How did the Lord’s Spirit leave me to talk to you?” he asked.

25Micaiah answered, “You will find out on the day you go into an inner room to hide.”

26The king of Israel then said, “Send Micaiah back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the prince.

27Say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I come home safely.’ ”

28Micaiah said, “If you really do come back safely, then the Lord wasn’t speaking through me. Pay attention to this, everyone!”