1 Kings 22
Christian Standard Bible
Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab
22 There was(A) a lull of three years(B) without war between Aram and Israel. 2 However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphat(C) of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.(D) 3 The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gilead(E) is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?” 4 So(F) he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?” (G)
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”(H) 5 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”(I)
6 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men,(J) and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?”
They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.”(K)
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore?(L) Let’s ask him.”
8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him(M) because he never prophesies good about me,(N) but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”
10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah,(O) clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor(P) at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Then Zedekiah(Q) son of Chenaanah made iron horns(R) and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’” 12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gilead(S) and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”
Micaiah’s Message of Defeat
13 The messenger(T) 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.”
14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives,(U) I will say whatever the Lord says to me.”(V)
15 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?”
Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. The Lord will hand it over to the king.”
16 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?”
17 So Micaiah said:
I saw all Israel scattered on the hills
like sheep without a shepherd.(W)
And the Lord said,
“They have no master;
let everyone return home in peace.”(X)
18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”
19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne,(Y) and the whole heavenly army(Z) was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ (AA) So one was saying this and another was saying that.
21 “Then a spirit came forward, stood in the Lord’s presence, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 “The Lord asked him, ‘How?’
“He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit(AB) in the mouth of all his prophets.’
“Then he said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.(AC) Go and do that.’
23 “You see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”
24 Then Zedekiah(AD) son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Did[a] the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” (AE)
25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day.”(AF)
26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,(AG) 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison(AH) and feed him only a little bread and water[b] until I come back safely.’”
28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.”(AI) Then he said, “Listen, all you people!” [c](AJ)
Ahab’s Death
29 Then(AK) the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.(AL) 30 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise(AM) myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.(AN)
31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders,(AO) “Do not fight with anyone at all[d] except the king of Israel.”(AP)
32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34 But a man drew his bow(AQ) without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,[e] for I am badly wounded!” (AR) 35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening,(AS) and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. 36 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:
Each man to his own city,
and each man to his own land!(AT)
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.(AU) 38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken.(AV)
39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace(AW) he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.(AX) 40 Ahab rested with his ancestors,(AY) and his son Ahaziah(AZ) became king in his place.
Judah’s King Jehoshaphat
41 Jehoshaphat(BA) son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all the ways of his father Asa;(BB) he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the Lord’s sight. However, the high places were not taken away;[f] the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.(BC) 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.(BD)
45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.(BE) 46 He eradicated from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.(BF) 47 There was no king in Edom;(BG) a deputy served as king. 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish(BH) to go to Ophir(BI) for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.(BJ) 49 At that time, Ahaziah(BK) son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50 Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David.(BL) His son Jehoram(BM) became king in his place.
Israel’s King Ahaziah
51 Ahaziah(BN) son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria(BO) in the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat,(BP) and he reigned over Israel two years. 52 He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.(BQ) He walked in the ways of his father,(BR) in the ways of his mother,(BS) and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.(BT) 53 He served Baal and bowed in worship to him.(BU) He angered the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.(BV)
1 Kings 22
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Joint Campaign with Judah against Aram
22 For three years Aram and Israel continued without war. 2 But in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to the king of Israel.(A) 3 The king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, yet we are doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”(B) 4 He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are; my people are your people; my horses are your horses.”(C)
5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” 6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred of them, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” They said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”(D) 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no other prophet of the Lord here of whom we may inquire?”(E) 8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one other by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything favorable about me but only disaster.” Jehoshaphat said, “Let the king not say such a thing.” 9 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” 10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.(F) 11 Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, “Thus says the Lord: With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.”(G) 12 All the prophets were prophesying the same and saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
Micaiah Predicts Failure
13 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king; let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”(H)
15 When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” He answered him, “Go up and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”(I) 16 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 17 Then Micaiah[a] said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each one go home in peace.’ ”(J) 18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything favorable about me but only disaster?”(K)
19 Then Micaiah[b] said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing beside him to the right and to the left of him.(L) 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said one thing, and another said another, 21 until a certain spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 ‘How?’ the Lord asked him. He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord[c] said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.’(M) 23 So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has decreed disaster for you.”(N)
24 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up to Micaiah, slapped him on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”(O) 25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on that day when you go in to hide in an inner chamber.”(P) 26 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 27 and say: Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison, and feed him on reduced rations of bread and water until I come in peace.”(Q) 28 Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, you peoples, all of you!”(R)
Defeat and Death of Ahab
29 So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.(S) 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. 31 Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, “Fight with no one small or great but only with the king of Israel.”(T) 32 When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.(U) 33 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 his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate; so he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 35 The battle grew hot that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans until at evening he died; the blood from the wound had flowed into the bottom of the chariot. 36 Then about sunset a shout went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria; they buried the king in Samaria. 38 They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it,[d] according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken.(V) 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and the ivory house that he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?(W) 40 So Ahab slept with his ancestors, and his son Ahaziah succeeded him.
Jehoshaphat Reigns over Judah
41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab of Israel.(X) 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all the way of his father Asa; he did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places.(Y) 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.(Z)
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat and his power that he showed and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah?(AA) 46 The remnant of the illicit priests who remained from the days of his father Asa, he purged from the land.(AB)
47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king.(AC) 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of the Tarshish type to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.(AD) 49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50 Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his father David; his son Jehoram succeeded him.(AE)
Ahaziah Reigns over Israel
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah; he reigned two years over Israel.(AF) 52 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and mother and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.(AG) 53 He served Baal and worshiped him; he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.(AH)
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New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.