1 Kings 22:1-12

Complete Jewish Bible

22 For three years there was no war between Aram and Isra’el. ² Then, in the third year, Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah came down to the king of Isra’el. ³ The king of Isra’el said to his servants, “Are you aware that Ramot-Gil‘ad belongs to us; yet, we’re doing nothing to recover it from the king of Aram?” ⁴ He said to Y’hoshafat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramot-Gil‘ad?” Y’hoshafat answered the king of Isra’el, “I’m with you all the way; think of my troops and horses as yours.” ⁵ But Y’hoshafat said to the king of Isra’el, “First, we should seek the word of Adonai.”

⁶ So the king of Isra’el assembled the prophets, about 400 men. “Should I attack Ramot-Gil‘ad?” he asked them, “Or should I hold off?” They said, “Attack! Adonai will hand it over to the king.” ⁷ But Y’hoshafat said, “Besides these, isn’t there a prophet of Adonai here that we can consult?” ⁸ The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “Yes, there is still one man through whom we can consult Adonai, Mikhay’hu the son of Yimlah; but I hate him, because he doesn’t prophesy good things for me, but bad!” Y’hoshafat replied, “The king shouldn’t say such a thing.”

⁹ Then the king of Isra’el called an officer and said, “Quickly! Bring Mikhay’hu the son of Yimlah.” ¹⁰ Now the king of Isra’el and Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their royal robes, on a threshing-floor at the entrance to the gate of Shomron; and all the prophets were there, prophesying in their presence. ¹¹ Tzidkiyah the son of Kena‘anah had made himself some horns out of iron and said, “This is what Adonai says: ‘With these you will gore Aram until they are destroyed.’” ¹² All the prophets prophesied the same thing: “Go up and attack Ramot-Gil‘ad. You will succeed, for Adonai will hand it over to the king.”