Judah’s King Jehoshaphat

17 His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place^(A) and strengthened himself against Israel. ² He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah^(B) and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.^(C)

³ Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his ancestor David.^[a] He did not seek the Baals ⁴ but sought the God of his father and walked by his commands, not according to the practices of Israel.^{(D) 5} So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.^{(E) 6} He took great pride in the Lord’s ways, and he again^(F) removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.^(G)

Jehoshaphat’s Educational Plan

⁷ In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials—Ben-hail,^[b] Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach in the cities of Judah.^{(H) 8} The Levites with them were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah,^[c] Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; the priests, Elishama and Jehoram, were with these Levites. ⁹ They taught throughout Judah, having the book of the Lord’s instruction with them.^(I) They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.

¹⁰ The terror of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah,^(J) so they didn’t fight against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹ Some of the Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.^(K)

Jehoshaphat’s Military Might

¹² Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger. He built fortresses^(L) and storage cities in Judah ¹³ and carried out great works in the towns of Judah. He had fighting men, valiant warriors, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ These are their numbers according to their ancestral families.^[d] For Judah, the commanders of thousands:

¹⁹ These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.^(N)

Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab

18 Now Jehoshaphat^(O) had riches and honor in abundance,^(P) and he made an alliance with Ahab through marriage.^{[e](Q) 2} Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep, goats, and cattle for him and for the people who were with him, and he persuaded him to attack Ramoth-gilead, ³ for Israel’s King Ahab asked Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?”

He replied to him, “I am as you are, my people as your people; we will be with you in the battle.” ⁴ But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”

⁵ So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?”

They replied, “March up, and God will hand it over to the king.”

⁶ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore? Let’s ask him.”^(R)

⁷ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king shouldn’t say that,” Jehoshaphat replied.

⁸ So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”

⁹ Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria’s gate,^(S) and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. ¹⁰ Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says: You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.” ¹¹ And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

Micaiah’s Message of Defeat

¹² The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

¹³ But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will say whatever my God says.”^[f](T)

¹⁴ So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I^[g] refrain?”

Micaiah said, “March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you.”

¹⁵ But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

¹⁶ So Micaiah said:

¹⁷ So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”

¹⁸ Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing at his right hand and at his left hand.^{(V) 19} And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice King Ahab of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ So one was saying this and another was saying that.

²⁰ “Then^(W) a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

“The Lord asked him, ‘How?’

²¹ “So he said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’

“Then he said, ‘You will entice him and also prevail. Go and do that.’

²² “Now, you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of^[h] these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”

²³ Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord leave me to speak to you?”

²⁴ Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”^(X)

²⁵ Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him^(Y) to Amon, the governor of the city,^(Z) and to Joash, the king’s son, ²⁶ and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison^(AA) and feed him only a little bread and water^[i] until I come back safely.’”

²⁷ But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he said, “Listen, all you people!” ^(AB)

Ahab’s Death

²⁸ Then the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead. ²⁹ But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.^(AC)

³⁰ Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone at all^[j] except the king of Israel.”

³¹ When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out^(AD) and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him. ³² When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

³³ But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to the charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,^[k] for I am badly wounded!” ^{(AE) 34} The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.

Lying to the Holy Spirit

5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property. ² However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.^(A)

³ “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart^(B) to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? ⁴ Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.” ⁵ When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard.^{(C) 6} The young men got up, wrapped his body, carried him out, and buried him.^(D)

⁷ About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ “Tell me,” Peter asked her, “did you sell the land for this price?”

“Yes,” she said, “for that price.”

⁹ Then Peter said to her, “Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”^(E)

¹⁰ Instantly she dropped dead at his feet. When the young men came in, they found her dead, carried her out, and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Then great fear came on the whole church and on all who heard these things.

Apostolic Signs and Wonders

¹² Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles.^(F) They were all together in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(G) 13} No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them.^{(H) 14} Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. ¹⁵ As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow^(I) might fall on some of them. ¹⁶ In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

In and out of Prison

¹⁷ Then the high priest rose up. He and all who were with him, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.^{(J) 18} So they arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.^{(K) 19} But an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail during the night, brought them out, and said,^{(L) 20} “Go and stand in the temple, and tell the people all about this life.”^{(M) 21} Hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.

The Apostles on Trial Again

When the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they convened the Sanhedrin—the full council of the Israelites—and sent orders to the jail to have them brought.^{(N) 22} But when the servants^[a] got there, they did not find them in the jail; so they returned and reported, ²³ “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing in front of the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” ²⁴ As^[b] the captain of the temple police and the chief priests heard these things, they were baffled about them, wondering what would come of this.

²⁵ Someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” ²⁶ Then the commander went with the servants and brought them in without force, because they were afraid the people might stone them.^{(O) 27} After they brought them in, they had them stand before the Sanhedrin, and the high priest asked, ²⁸ “Didn’t we strictly order you not to teach in this name?^(P) Look, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”^(Q)

²⁹ Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus,^(R) whom you had murdered by hanging him on a tree.^{(S) 31} God exalted this man to his right hand as ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.^(T)