Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to 1 Kings 22
Close NKJV

1 Kings 22
New King James Version

Micaiah Warns Ahab(A)

22 Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. 2 Then it came to pass, in the third year, that (B)Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that (C)Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” 4 So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?”

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, (D)“I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, (E)“Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”

6 Then the king of Israel (F)gathered [a]the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

7 And (G)Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of [b]Him?”

8 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”

10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made (H)horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall (I)gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

14 And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, (J)whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”

15 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”

And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king!”

16 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

17 Then he said, “I saw all Israel (K)scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ”

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: (L)I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, (M)and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20 And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ 22 The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, (N)‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 23 (O)Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

24 Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and (P)struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, (Q)“Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”

25 And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an (R)inner chamber to hide!”

26 So the king of Israel said, “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 (S)prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”

28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, (T)the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab Dies in Battle(U)

29 So the 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 go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel (V)disguised himself and went into battle.

31 Now the (W)king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two (X)captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat (Y)cried out. 33 And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

35 The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. 36 Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. 38 Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while [c]the harlots bathed, according (Z)to the word of the Lord which He had spoken.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, (AA)the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab [d]rested with his fathers. Then (AB)Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah(AC)

41 (AD)Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And (AE)he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless (AF)the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 44 Also (AG)Jehoshaphat made (AH)peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written (AI)in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 (AJ)And the rest of the [e]perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. 47 (AK)There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.

48 (AL)Jehoshaphat (AM)made [f]merchant ships to go to (AN)Ophir for gold; (AO)but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at (AP)Ezion Geber. 49 Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And (AQ)Jehoshaphat [g]rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

51 (AR)Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and (AS)walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 53 for (AT)he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, (AU)according[h] to all that his father had done.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 22:6 The false prophets
  2. 1 Kings 22:7 Or him
  3. 1 Kings 22:38 Tg., Syr. they washed his armor
  4. 1 Kings 22:40 Died and joined his ancestors
  5. 1 Kings 22:46 Heb. qadesh, one practicing sodomy and prostitution in religious rituals
  6. 1 Kings 22:48 Or ships of Tarshish
  7. 1 Kings 22:50 Died and joined his ancestors
  8. 1 Kings 22:53 In the same way that
Close LEB

1 Kings 22
Lexham English Bible

Jehoshaphat of Judah Allies with Ahab of Israel

22 They lived three years, and there was no war between Aram and Israel. 2 It happened in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to the king of Israel, 3 and the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know Ramoth-Gilead belongs to us, and we are doing nothing about taking it from the hand of the king of Aram?” 4 Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to the battle for Ramoth-Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am like you;[a] my people are like your people;[b] my horses are like your horses.”[c]

5 Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of Yahweh today.” 6 Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and he said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead for the battle, or should I refrain?” Then they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” 7 So Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here that we might still inquire from him?” 8 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man to inquire from Yahweh, but I despise him, for he never prophesies anything good concerning me, but only bad: Micaiah the son of Imlah.” Then Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say so.” 9 The king of Israel summoned a certain court official, and he said, “Quickly fetch Micaiah son of Imlah.” 10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 11 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until finishing them.’” 12 All of the prophets were likewise prophesying, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and triumph, and Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king.”

13 Then the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Please now, the words of the prophet are unanimously[d] favorable to the king. Please let your words be as one word with them, and speak favorably.” 14 Then Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives,[e] surely only as Yahweh speaks to me, that will I speak.” 15 When he came to the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to the battle, or shall we refrain?” He said to him, “Go up and triumph, and Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king.” 16 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you shall not tell me anything but truth in the name of Yahweh?” 17 So he said, “I saw all of Israel scattering to the mountains, like the sheep without a shepherd. Yahweh also said, ‘There are no masters for these, let them return in peace, each to his house.’” 18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not say to you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but disaster?”

19 And he[f] said, “Therefore, hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne with all the hosts of heaven standing beside him from his right hand and from his left hand. 20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?’ Then this one was saying one thing and the other one was saying another.[g] 21 Then a spirit came out and stood before Yahweh and said, ‘I will entice him,’ and Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’ 22 He said, ‘I will go out and I will be a false spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he[h] said, ‘You shall entice and succeed, go out and do so.’ 23 So then, see that Yahweh has placed a false spirit in the mouth of all of these your prophets, and Yahweh has spoken disaster concerning you.”

24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came near and slapped Micaiah on the cheek and said, “When did the Spirit of Yahweh pass from me to speak with you?” 25 Then Micaiah said, “Behold, you are about to see on that day when you go from room to room[i] to hide.” 26 The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the commander of the city and to Jehoash the son of the king; 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in the house of imprisonment and feed him reduced rations of food and water until I come in peace.”’” 28 Then Micaiah said, “If you indeed return in peace, then Yahweh has not spoken with me.” Then he said, “Let all the peoples hear!”

29 Then the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead. 30 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you wear your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and he went into the battle. 31 The king of Aram commanded his thirty-two chariot commanders, saying, “You shall not fight with small or great, but only against the king of Israel, him alone!” 32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely he is the king of Israel,” and they turned to fight against him, so Jehoshaphat called out. 33 When the chariot commanders saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 34 But another man drew his bow fully and struck the king of Israel between the armor scales and the breastplate; so he said to his chariot driver, “Turn the chariot[j] and bring me out from the camp, for I am wounded.”

35 The battle intensified on that day, and the king was being propped up in the chariot opposite Aram, but he died in the evening, and the blood of the wound ran out to the floor of the chariot. 36 Then the shout passed through the camp about sunset, saying, “Each man to his city and each to his land!” 37 So the king died, and they brought him[k] to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. 38 They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked his blood (now, the prostitutes washed themselves there) according to the word of Yahweh which he had spoken. 39 The remainder of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory palace and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his ancestors,[l] and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

King Jehoshaphat of Judah

41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all of the way of Asa his father, and he did not turn aside from it, doing right in the eyes of Yahweh.[m] Only he did not remove the high places; the people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places. 44 [n] But, Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. 45 The remainder of the acts of Jehoshaphat, his powerful deeds he did, and how he fought, are they not written in the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah? 46 The remainder of the male shrine prostitutes who were left over in the days of Asa his father he exterminated from the land. 47 There was not a king in Edom; a governor served as king. 48 Jehoshaphat built[o] ships of the Tarshish type to go to Ophir for the gold; but he did not go because the ships were destroyed at Ezion-Geber. 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 And Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors[p] and was buried with his ancestors[q] in the city of David his ancestor,[r] and Joram his son became king in his place.

King Ahaziah of Israel

51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 52 He did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, and he went in the way of his father and his mother and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin. 53 He served Baal and bowed down to him; and he provoked Yahweh the God of Israel according to all that his father did.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 22:4 Literally “Like I am, like you are”
  2. 1 Kings 22:4 Literally “like my people, like your people”
  3. 1 Kings 22:4 Literally “like my horses, like your horses”
  4. 1 Kings 22:13 Literally “one mouth”
  5. 1 Kings 22:14 Literally “The life of Yahweh”
  6. 1 Kings 22:19 That is, Micaiah
  7. 1 Kings 22:20 Literally “this one said in thus and this one was saying in thus”
  8. 1 Kings 22:22 That is, Yahweh
  9. 1 Kings 22:25 Literally “private room in private room”
  10. 1 Kings 22:34 Literally “your hand”
  11. 1 Kings 22:37 Literally “and he went”
  12. 1 Kings 22:40 Or “fathers”
  13. 1 Kings 22:43 1 Kings 22:44 begins here in the Hebrew Bible
  14. 1 Kings 22:44 1 Kings 22:44– 53 in the English Bible is 22:45–54 in the Hebrew Bible
  15. 1 Kings 22:48 According to the reading tradition(Qere); what is written (Kethib) is “ten”
  16. 1 Kings 22:50 Or “fathers”
  17. 1 Kings 22:50 Or “fathers”
  18. 1 Kings 22:50 Or “father”
Next
1 Kings 21
2 Kings 1
Next
dropdown
New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
Lexham English Bible (LEB)

2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software