2 Chronicles 18

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

1Now 1JehoshaphatH3092 hadH1961 greatH7230 richesH6239 and honorH3519; and he alliedH2859 himself byH2859 marriageH2859 to 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 he incitedH5496 him to goH5927 upH5927 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.”

4However, JehoshaphatH3092 saidH559 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, “PleaseH4994 requestH1875 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 3firstH3117.” 5So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 assembledH6908 the 4prophetsH5030, fourH702 hundredH3967 menH376, and saidH559 to them, “Should we goH1980 to battleH4421 againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7433, orH518 should I refrainH2308?” And they saidH559, “GoH5927 upH5927, for GodH430 will handH5414H3027 it overH5414 to the kingH4428.” 6But JehoshaphatH3092 saidH559, “IsH369 thereH369 noH369 longerH5750 a prophetH5030 of the LordH3068 hereH6311, that we may inquireH1875 of him?” 7And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092, “There is stillH5750 oneH259 manH376 by whom we may inquireH1875 of the LordH3068, but I hateH8130 him, for he neverH369 prophesiesH5012 anything goodH2899 regardingH5921 me, but alwaysH3605H3117 badH7463. He is MicaiahH4321 the sonH1121 of ImlahH3229.” But JehoshaphatH3092 saidH559, “May the kingH4428 not sayH559 soH3651.”

Ahab’s False Prophets Assure Victory

8Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 summonedH7121 an officerH5631 and saidH559, “BringH4116 MicaiahH4321 sonH1121 of ImlahH3229 quicklyH4116.” 9Now the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 the kingH4428 of JudahH3063 were sittingH3427, eachH376 on his throneH3678, dressedH3847 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. 10Then ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of ChenaanahH3668 madeH6213 hornsH7161 of ironH1270 for himself and saidH559, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘With theseH428 you will goreH5055 the ArameansH758 untilH5704 they are destroyedH3615!’” 11AllH3605 the prophetsH5030 were prophesyingH5012 thisH3651 as well, sayingH559, “GoH5927 upH5927 to Ramoth-gileadH7433 and beH6743 successfulH6743, for the LordH3068 will handH5414H3027 it overH5414 to 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 6unanimouslyH259H6310 favorableH2896 to the kingH4428. So pleaseH4994 let your wordH1697 be like oneH259 of them, and speakH1696 favorablyH2896.” 13But MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “As the LordH3068 livesH2416, 7whateverH834 my GodH430 saysH559, I will speakH1696 it.”

14When he cameH935 to the kingH4428, the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “MicaiahH4318, should we goH1980 to battleH4421 againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7433, orH518 should I refrainH2308?” He saidH559, “GoH5927 upH5927 and succeedH6743, for they will be handedH5414H3027 overH5414 to you!” 15Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to him, “HowH5704H4100 manyH5704H4100 timesH6471 must I makeH7650 you swearH7650 that you will tellH1696 me nothingH3808 but the truthH571 in the nameH8034 of the LordH3068?” 16So he saidH559, “I sawH7200 allH3605 IsraelH3478 ScatteredH6327 on the mountainsH2022, 8Like sheepH6629 that haveH369 noH369 shepherdH7462. And the LordH3068 saidH559, ‘TheseH428 people have noH3808 masterH113. EachH376 of them is to returnH7725 to his houseH1004 in peaceH7965.’” 17Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092, “Did I not tellH559 you that he would not prophesyH5012 anything goodH2896 regardingH5921 me, but only badH7463?”

18And Micaiah saidH559, “ThereforeH3651, hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LordH3068. 9I sawH7200 the LordH3068 sittingH3427 on His throneH3678, and allH3605 the 10angelsH6635 of heavenH8064 standingH5975 on His rightH3225 and on His leftH8040. 19And the LordH3068 saidH559, ‘WhoH4310 will 11enticeH6601 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 to goH5927 upH5927 and fallH5307 at Ramoth-gileadH7433?’ And oneH2088 spirit saidH559 thisH3602, while anotherH2088 saidH559 that. 20Then a 12spiritH7307 cameH3318 forwardH3318 and stoodH5975 beforeH6440 the LordH3068 and saidH559, ‘I will 13enticeH6601 him.’ And the LordH3068 saidH559 to him, ‘HowH4100?’ 21He saidH559, ‘I will goH3318 outH3318 and be 14a deceivingH8267 spiritH7307 in the mouthsH6310 of allH3605 his prophetsH5030.’ Then He saidH559, ‘You shall 15enticeH6601 him, and you will alsoH1571 prevailH3201. GoH3318 outH3318 and doH6213 soH3651.’ 22NowH6258 thereforeH6258, beholdH2009, 16the LordH3068 has putH5414 a deceivingH8267 spiritH7307 in the mouthsH6310 of theseH428 prophetsH5030 of yours, for the LordH3068 has declaredH1696 disasterH7463 againstH5921 you.”

23Then ZedekiahH6667 the sonH1121 of ChenaanahH3668 approachedH5066 and 17struckH5221 MicaiahH4321 on the cheekH3895; and he saidH559, “18HowH335H2088 did the SpiritH7307 of the LordH3068 passH5674 from me to speakH1696 to you?” 24And MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “BeholdH2009, you are going to seeH7200 how on that dayH3117 whenH834 you goH935 from one innerH2315 roomH2315 to 19anotherH2315 trying to hideH2244 yourself.” 25Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559, “20TakeH3947 MicaiahH4321 and returnH7725 him to AmonH526 21the governorH8269 of the cityH5892, and to JoashH3060 the king’sH4428 sonH1121; 26and sayH559, ‘ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the kingH4428 saysH559: “22PutH7760 thisH2088 man in prisonH1004H3608, and feedH398 him enoughH3906 breadH3899 and waterH4325 toH3906 surviveH3906 untilH5704 I 23returnH7725 safelyH7965.”’” 27But MicaiahH4321 saidH559, “IfH518 you actuallyH7725 returnH7725 24safelyH7965, the LordH3068 has not spokenH1696 by me.” And he saidH559, “2526ListenH8085, allH3605 you peopleH5971!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

28So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and JehoshaphatH3092 kingH4428 of JudahH3063 wentH5927 upH5927 againstH413 Ramoth-gileadH7433. 29And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to JehoshaphatH3092, “I will disguiseH2664 myself and goH935 into battleH4421, but you putH3847 onH3847 your robesH899.” So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 disguisedH2664 himself, and they wentH935 into battleH4421. 30Now the kingH4428 of AramH758 had commandedH6680 the commandersH8269 of his chariotsH7393, sayingH559, “Do not fightH3898 with the smallH6996 or greatH1419, but onlyH905 with the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478.” 31So when the commandersH8269 of the chariotsH7393 sawH7200 JehoshaphatH3092, they saidH559, “He is the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478!” And they turnedH5437 asideH5437 to fightH3898 againstH5921 him. But JehoshaphatH3092 27criedH2199 outH2199, and the LordH3068 helpedH5826 him, and GodH430 divertedH5496 them from him. 32When the commandersH8269 of the chariotsH7393 sawH7200 that it was not the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, they turnedH7725 backH7725 from pursuingH310 him. 33Now one manH376 drewH4900 his bowH7198 at randomH8537 and struckH5221 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 28in a jointH1694 of the armorH8302. So he saidH559 to the driverH7395 ofH7395 his chariotH7395, “TurnH2015 29aroundH3027 and takeH3318 me outH3318 of the battleH4264, for I amH2470 severelyH2470 woundedH2470.” 34The battleH4421 ragedH5927 on that dayH3117, and the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 proppedH5975 himself upH5975 in his chariotH4818 in frontH5227 of the ArameansH758 untilH5704 the eveningH6153; and at sunsetH8121H935 he diedH4191.