2 Chronicles 18

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

1Now 1JehoshaphatH3092 hadH1961 greatH7230 richesH6239 and honorH3519; and he alliedH2859 himself by marriageH2859 with AhabH256. 22Some yearsH8141 laterH7093 he wentH3381 downH3381 to visit AhabH256 at SamariaH8111. And AhabH256 slaughteredH2076 manyH7230 sheepH6629 and oxenH1241 for him and the peopleH5971 whoH834 were with him, and inducedH5496 him to goH5927 up againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7433. 3AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063, “Will you goH1980 with me against Ramoth-gileadH7433?” And he saidH559 to him, “I am as you are, and my peopleH5971 as your peopleH5971, and we will be with you in the battleH4421.”

4Moreover, JehoshaphatH3092 saidH559 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, “PleaseH4994 inquireH1875 3firstH3117 for the wordH1697 of the LordH3068.” 5Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 assembledH6908 the prophetsH5030, fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376, and saidH559 to them, “Shall we goH1980 againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7433 to battleH4421, orH518 shall I refrainH2308?” And they saidH559, “GoH5927 up, for GodH430 will giveH5414 it into the handH3027 of the kingH4428.” 6But JehoshaphatH3092 saidH559, “Is thereH369 not yetH5750 a prophetH5030 of the LordH3068 hereH6311 that we may inquireH1875 of him?” 7The kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092, “There is yetH5750 oneH259 manH376 by whom we may inquireH1875 of the LordH3068, but I hateH8130 him, for he neverH369 prophesiesH5012 goodH2899 concerningH5921 me but alwaysH3605H3117 evilH7463. He is MicaiahH4321, sonH1121 of ImlaH3229.” But JehoshaphatH3092 saidH559, “Let not the kingH4428 sayH559 soH3651.”

Ahab’s False Prophets Assure Victory

8Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 calledH7121 an officerH5631 and saidH559, “4BringH4116 quicklyH4116 MicaiahH4321, Imla’sH3229 sonH1121.” 9Now the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 the kingH4428 of JudahH3063 were sittingH3427 eachH376 on his throneH3678, arrayedH3847 in their robesH899, and they were sittingH3427 5at the threshingH1637 floorH1637 at the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of SamariaH8111; and allH3605 the prophetsH5030 were prophesyingH5012 beforeH6440 them. 10ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of ChenaanahH3668 madeH6213 hornsH7161 of ironH1270 for himself and saidH559, “ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘With theseH428 you shall goreH5055 the ArameansH758 untilH5704 they are consumedH3615.’” 11AllH3605 the prophetsH5030 were prophesyingH5012 thusH3651, sayingH559, “GoH5927 up to Ramoth-gileadH7433 and succeedH6743, for the LordH3068 will giveH5414 it into the handH3027 of the kingH4428.”

Micaiah Brings Word from God

12Then the messengerH4397 whoH834 wentH1980 to summonH7121 MicaiahH4321 spokeH1696 to him sayingH559, “BeholdH2009, the wordsH1697 of the prophetsH5030 are uniformlyH259H6310 favorableH2896 to the kingH4428. So pleaseH4994 let your wordH1697 be like oneH259 of them and speakH1696 favorablyH2896.” 13But MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, 6whatH834 my GodH430 saysH559, that I will speakH1696.”

14When he cameH935 to the kingH4428, the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “MicaiahH4318, shall we goH1980 to Ramoth-gileadH7433 to battleH4421, orH518 shall I refrainH2308?” He saidH559, “GoH5927 up and succeedH6743, for they will be givenH5414 into your handH3027.” 15Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “HowH5704H4100 manyH5704H4100 timesH6471 must I adjureH7650 you to speakH1696 to me nothingH3808 but the truthH571 in the nameH8034 of the LordH3068?” 16So he saidH559, “I sawH7200 allH3605 IsraelH3478 ScatteredH6327 on the mountainsH2022, 7Like sheepH6629 whichH834 haveH369 noH369 shepherdH7462; And the LordH3068 saidH559, ‘TheseH428 have noH3808 masterH113. Let eachH376 of them returnH7725 to his houseH1004 in peaceH7965.’” 17Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092, “Did I not tellH559 you that he would not prophesyH5012 goodH2896 concerningH5921 me, but evilH7463?”

18Micaiah saidH559, “ThereforeH3651, hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068. 8I sawH7200 the LordH3068 sittingH3427 on His throneH3678, and allH3605 the hostH6635 of heavenH8064 standingH5975 on His rightH3225 and on His leftH8040. 19The LordH3068 saidH559, ‘WhoH4310 will enticeH6601 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 to goH5927 up and fallH5307 at Ramoth-gileadH7433?’ And oneH2088 saidH559 thisH3602 while anotherH2088 saidH559 that. 20Then a 9spiritH7307 cameH3318 forwardH3318 and stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the LordH3068 and saidH559, ‘I will enticeH6601 him.’ And the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, ‘HowH4100?’ 21He saidH559, ‘I will goH3318 and be 10a deceivingH8267 spiritH7307 in the mouthH6310 of allH3605 his prophetsH5030.’ Then He saidH559, ‘You are to enticeH6601 him and prevailH3201 alsoH1571. GoH3318 and doH6213 soH3651.’ 22NowH6258 therefore, beholdH2009, 11the LordH3068 has putH5414 a deceivingH8267 spiritH7307 in the mouthH6310 of theseH428 your prophetsH5030, for the LordH3068 has proclaimedH1696 disasterH7463 againstH5921 you.”

23Then ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of ChenaanahH3668 cameH5066 nearH5066 and 12struckH5221 MicaiahH4321 on the cheekH3895 and saidH559, “13HowH335H2088 did the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 passH5674 from me to speakH1696 to you?” 24MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “BeholdH2009, you will seeH7200 on that dayH3117 whenH834 you enterH935 an innerH2315 roomH2315 to hideH2244 yourself.” 25Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “14TakeH3947 MicaiahH4321 and returnH7725 him to AmonH526 15the governorH8269 of the cityH5892 and to JoashH3060 the king’sH4428 sonH1121; 26and sayH559, ‘ThusH3541 saysH559 the kingH4428, “16PutH7760 thisH2088 man in prisonH1004H3608 and feedH398 him 17sparinglyH3906 with breadH3899 and waterH4325 untilH5704 I returnH7725 safelyH7965.”’” 27MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “IfH518 you indeedH7725 returnH7725 safelyH7965, the LordH3068 has not spokenH1696 by me.” And he saidH559, “18ListenH8085, allH3605 you peopleH5971.”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

28So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 wentH5927 up againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7433. 29The kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092, “I will disguiseH2664 myself and goH935 into battleH4421, but you putH3847 on your robesH899.” So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 disguisedH2664 himself, and they wentH935 into battleH4421. 30Now the kingH4428 of AramH758 had commandedH6680 the captainsH8269 of his chariotsH7393, sayingH559, “Do not fightH3898 with smallH6996 or greatH1419, but with the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 aloneH905.” 31So when the captainsH8269 of the chariotsH7393 sawH7200 JehoshaphatH3092, they saidH559, “It is the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478,” and they turnedH5437 asideH5437 to fightH3898 againstH5921 him. But JehoshaphatH3092 19criedH2199 out, and the LordH3068 helpedH5826 him, and GodH430 divertedH5496 them from him. 32When the captainsH8269 of the chariotsH7393 sawH7200 that it was not the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, they turnedH7725 backH7725 from pursuingH310 him. 33A certain manH376 drewH4900 his bowH7198 at randomH8537 and struckH5221 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 20in a jointH1694 of the armorH8302. So he saidH559 to the driverH7395 of the chariotH7395, “TurnH2015 21aroundH3027 and takeH3318 me out of the 22fightH4264, for I amH2470 severelyH2470 woundedH2470.” 34The battleH4421 ragedH5927 that dayH3117, and the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 proppedH5975 himself up in his chariotH4818 in frontH5227 of the ArameansH758 untilH5704 the eveningH6153; and at sunsetH8121H935 he diedH4191.