米该雅先知警告亚哈王

22 亚兰和以色列之间三年无战事。 第三年,犹大王约沙法来见以色列王亚哈。 以色列王对臣仆说:“你们都知道基列的拉末是我们的领土,我们岂能坐视不理,不从亚兰王手中夺回来呢?” 他问约沙法:“你愿意跟我一起去攻打基列的拉末吗?”约沙法回答说:“你我不分彼此,我的民就是你的民,我的马就是你的马。” 约沙法又对以色列王说:“你要先求问耶和华。”

于是,以色列王就召来了大约四百名先知,问他们:“我可以去攻打基列的拉末吗?”他们说:“可以去,主必把那城交在王手中。” 但约沙法问:“这里没有耶和华的先知供我们求问吗?” 以色列王回答说:“这里还有一个人,是音拉的儿子米该雅,我们可以托他求问耶和华。可是我厌恶他,因为他给我的预言都是有凶无吉。”约沙法说:“王不要这样说。” 以色列王召来一名内侍,说:“你快把音拉的儿子米该雅带来。” 10 以色列王和犹大王约沙法在撒玛利亚城门前的麦场,身穿朝服,坐在宝座上,众先知都在他们面前说预言。 11 基拿拿的儿子西底迦造了两只铁角,说:“耶和华这样说,‘你必用这铁角抵亚兰人,直到毁灭他们。’” 12 所有的先知也都预言说:“去攻打基列的拉末吧,一定得胜,耶和华必将那城交在王的手中。”

13 去召米该雅的使者对米该雅说:“众先知都异口同声地向王说吉言,你就像他们一样说些吉言吧。” 14 米该雅回答说:“我凭永活的耶和华起誓,耶和华对我说什么,我就说什么。” 15 米该雅来到以色列王面前,王就问他:“米该雅啊,我可不可以去攻打基列的拉末?”米该雅回答说:“上去攻打吧,一定得胜,耶和华必将那城交在王手中。” 16 王却说:“我要嘱咐你多少次,你才肯奉耶和华的名对我说实话呢?” 17 米该雅说:“我看见以色列人四散在山上,好像没有牧人的羊群一样。耶和华说,‘这些人没有主人,让他们各自平安地回家去吧。’” 18 以色列王对约沙法说:“我不是告诉过你吗?他给我的预言都是有凶无吉。” 19 米该雅说:“你要听耶和华的话。我看见耶和华坐在宝座上,众天军侍立在祂左右。 20 耶和华说,‘谁愿意去引诱亚哈到基列的拉末去送死呢?’众天军议论纷纷。 21 后来,有一个灵站出来对耶和华说他愿意去。 22 耶和华问他用什么方法,他说,‘我要做谎言之灵,进入他众先知的口中。’耶和华说,‘你必能成功,就这样做吧。’ 23 现在,耶和华已经把谎言之灵放进这些先知口中,耶和华已决意降祸给你。”

24 基拿拿的儿子西底迦听了米该雅的话就上前打他的脸,说:“耶和华的灵怎会离开我向你说话呢?” 25 米该雅说:“你躲进密室的那天就知道了。” 26 以色列王下令说:“把米该雅交给亚们总督和约阿施王子, 27 告诉他们,‘王说,要把这人关在监牢,只给他一些饼和水,直到我平安地回来。’” 28 米该雅说:“如果你能够平安地回来,耶和华就没有借着我说话。”他又说:“众民啊,你们都记住我的话。”

亚哈之死

29 以色列王和犹大王约沙法出兵攻打基列的拉末。 30 以色列王对约沙法说:“我要改装上阵,你就穿王袍吧。”以色列王就改装上阵。 31 亚兰王已经吩咐他的三十二名战车长不要跟对方的大小军兵交锋,只攻击以色列王。 32 战车长看见约沙法,以为他一定是以色列王,便转过来攻击他。约沙法高声喊叫, 33 战车长见他不是以色列王,便不再追杀他。 34 有人随手放了一箭,射进了以色列王的铠甲缝中。王对驾车的说:“调转车头拉我离开战场吧,我受了重伤。” 35 那天的战事非常激烈,亚哈王被人扶着站在车上,迎战亚兰人。到了黄昏,王就死了,车上流满了血。 36 太阳快要下山的时候,以色列军中传出号令,叫人各回本乡本城。

37 王死后,他们把王的尸体运回撒玛利亚安葬, 38 并在撒玛利亚妓女洗浴的池边洗他的战车,有狗来舔他的血,正如耶和华所言。 39 亚哈其他的事,他的一切所作所为和他建造的象牙宫及各城邑,都记在以色列的列王史上。 40 亚哈与祖先同眠后,他儿子亚哈谢继位。

约沙法做犹大王

41 亚哈做以色列王第四年,亚撒的儿子约沙法登基做犹大王。 42 约沙法三十五岁登基,在耶路撒冷执政二十五年。他母亲叫阿苏巴,是示利希的女儿。 43 约沙法事事效法他父亲亚撒,不偏不离,做耶和华视为正的事。但他没有拆毁丘坛,百姓仍然在那里献祭烧香。 44 约沙法与以色列王修好。

45 约沙法其他的事,包括他的功业和战绩,都记在犹大的列王史上。 46 约沙法除掉了他父亲亚撒时代遗留的男庙妓。 47 那时以东没有王,由总督治理。 48 约沙法又建造了一批他施船,要到俄斐去运载黄金,可是没有成行,因为船只在以旬·迦别失事了。 49 后来,亚哈的儿子亚哈谢请求约沙法让他的人跟约沙法的人一起出海,但约沙法拒绝了。 50 约沙法与祖先同眠后葬在大卫城他的祖坟里。他儿子约兰继位。

亚哈谢做以色列王

51 犹大王约沙法执政第十七年,亚哈的儿子亚哈谢在撒玛利亚登基做以色列王,执政两年。 52 他做耶和华视为恶的事,步他父母的后尘,效法使以色列人陷入罪中的尼八之子耶罗波安。 53 他像他父亲一样供奉、祭拜巴力,惹以色列的上帝耶和华发怒。

22 Syria and Israel continued without war for three years.

In the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

And [Ahab] king of Israel said to his servants, Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we keep silence and do not take it from the king of Syria?

And [Ahab] said to Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead to battle? Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.

But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray you, for the word of the Lord today.

Then [Ahab] king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about 400 men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I hold back? And they said, Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.

Jehoshaphat said, Is there not another prophet of the Lord here whom we may ask?

[Ahab] king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good for me, but evil. Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say that.

Then [Ahab] king of Israel told an officer, Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.

10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting in [royal] robes [or armor], each on his throne in an open place [on a threshing floor] at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron and said, Thus says the Lord: With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.

12 And all the prophets agreed, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.

13 The messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him, Behold now, the prophets unanimously declare good to the king. Let your answer, I pray you, be like theirs, and say what is good.

14 But Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, I will speak what the Lord says to me.

15 So he came to the king. King [Ahab] said, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we hold back? And he answered, Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.

16 And the king said to him, How many times must I charge you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said, These have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And Micaiah said, Hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left.

20 And the Lord said, Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? One said this way, another said that way.

21 Then there came forth a spirit [of whom I am about to tell] and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him.

22 The Lord said to him, By what means? And he said, I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets. [The Lord] said, You shall entice him and succeed also. Go forth and do it.

23 So the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets; and the Lord has spoken evil concerning you.

24 But Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak to you?

25 Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

26 [Ahab] king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, carry him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

27 And say, The king says, Put this fellow in prison and feed him with bread and water of affliction until I come in peace.

28 Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. He [added], Hear, O people, every one of you!

29 So [Ahab] king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you put on your [royal] clothing. And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, Fight neither with small nor great, but only with [Ahab] king of Israel.

32 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. They turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 But a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote [Ahab] the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn around and carry me out of the army, for I am wounded.

35 The battle increased that day, and [Ahab] the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and at nightfall he died. And the blood of his wound flowed onto the floor of the chariot.

36 And there went a cry throughout the army about sundown, saying, Every man to his city and his own country,

37 For the king is dead! And [Ahab] was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.

38 And they washed [his] chariot by the pool of Samaria, where the harlots bathed, and the dogs licked up his blood, as the Lord had predicted.(A)

39 The rest of Ahab’s acts, all he did, the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

40 So Ahab slept with his fathers. Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43 He walked in all the ways or customs of Asa his father, never swerving from it, doing right in the sight of the Lord. However, the [idolatrous] high places were not taken away; for the people still sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel’s king.

45 The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, his might that he showed and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the sodomites (the male cult prostitutes) who remained in the days of his father Asa, [Jehoshaphat] expelled from the country.

47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy was acting king.

48 Jehoshaphat ordered ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

49 When Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with your servants in the ships, Jehoshaphat refused.

50 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of David his father [forefather]. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

51 Ahaziah son of Ahab began his two-year reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah.

52 He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of his father [Ahab] and of his mother [Jezebel] and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel sin.

53 He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger in all the ways his father had done.