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)
1 Kings 22
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.”
13 The messenger who had gone to call Mikhay’hu said to him, “Here, now, the prophets are unanimously predicting success for the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them — say something good.” 14 But Mikhay’hu answered, “As Adonai lives, whatever Adonai says to me is what I will say.”
15 When he reached the king, the king asked him, “Mikhay’hu, should we go up and attack Ramot-Gil‘ad; or should we hold off?” He answered, “Go up, you will succeed, Adonai will hand it over to the king.” 16 The king said to him, “How many times do I have to warn you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Adonai?” 17 Then he said, “I saw all Isra’el scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and Adonai said, ‘These men have no leader; let everyone go home in peace.’” 18 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy good things about me, but bad?”
19 Mikhay’hu continued: “Therefore hear the word of Adonai. I saw Adonai sitting on his throne with the whole army of heaven standing by him on his right and on his left. 20 Adonai asked, ‘Who will entice Ach’av to go up to his death at Ramot-Gil‘ad?’ One of them said, ‘Do it this way,’ and another, ‘Do it that way.’ 21 Then a spirit stepped up, stood in front of Adonai and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 Adonai asked, ‘How?’ and he answered, ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Adonai said, ‘You will succeed in enticing him. Go, and do it.’ 23 So now Adonai has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; meanwhile, Adonai has ordained disaster for you.”
24 Then Tzidkiyah the son of Kena‘anah came up, slapped Mikhay’hu in the face and said, “And how did the Spirit of Adonai leave me to speak to you?” 25 Mikhay’hu said, “You’ll find out the day you go into an inside room, trying to hide.”
26 The king of Isra’el said, “Seize Mikhay’hu, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and Yo’ash the king’s son. 27 Say, ‘The king says to put this man in prison; and feed him only bread and water, and not much of that, until I return in peace.’” 28 Mikhay’hu said, “If you return in peace at all, Adonai has not spoken through me!” Then he added, “Did you hear me, you peoples, all of you?”
29 So the king of Isra’el and Y’hoshafat the king of Y’hudah went up to Ramot-Gil‘ad. 30 The king of Isra’el said to Y’hoshafat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you, put on your robes.” So the king of Isra’el disguised himself and went into battle. 31 Now the king of Aram had ordered the thirty-two chariot commanders, “Don’t attack anyone of either high or low rank, only the king of Isra’el.” 32 So when the chariot commanders saw Y’hoshafat they said, “This must be the king of Isra’el,” and turned to attack him. But Y’hoshafat gave a yell, 33 so that the chariot commanders saw that he wasn’t the king of Isra’el and stopped pursuing him. 34 However, one soldier shot an arrow at random and struck the king of Isra’el between his lower armor and his breastplate. So the king said to his chariot-driver, “Turn the reins, and take me out of the fighting; I’m collapsing from my wounds.” 35 But the fighting grew fiercer that day; and they propped the king upright in his chariot facing Aram until he died, in the evening, with the blood streaming from his wound onto the floor of the chariot. 36 Around sundown, a cry spread through the ranks: “Every man to his own town! Every man to his own land!” 37 So the king died and was brought to Shomron, and they buried the king in Shomron. 38 They washed the chariot at the Pool of Shomron where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up his blood, in keeping with the word Adonai had spoken.
39 Other activities of Ach’av’s reign, all his accomplishments, the ivory palace he built and all the cities he built are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra’el. 40 So Ach’av slept with his ancestors, and Achazyah his son became king in his place.
41 Y’hoshafat the son of Asa began his reign over Y’hudah in the fourth year of Ach’av king of Isra’el. 42 Y’hoshafat was thirty-five years old when he began to rule, and he ruled twenty-five years in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was ‘Azuvah the daughter of Shilchi.
43 He lived in the manner of Asa his father and did not turn away from it, doing what was right from Adonai’s perspective; 44 (43b) although the high places were not taken away — the people still sacrificed and presented offerings on the high places.
45 (44) Y’hoshafat made peace with the king of Isra’el.
46 (45) Other activities of Y’hoshafat, all his power that he demonstrated and how he made war are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah.
47 (46) He rid the land of the male and female cult-prostitutes remaining from the time of his father Asa.
48 (47) There had previously been no king in Edom, but now a deputy was made king.
49 (48) Y’hoshafat built some large “Tarshish” ships to go to Ofir for gold, but they didn’t make the voyage, because they were wrecked at ‘Etzyon-Gever. 50 (49) Achazyah the son of Ach’av suggested to Y’hoshafat that his men should go to sea with Y’hoshafat’s men, but Y’hoshafat would not agree.
51 (50) So Y’hoshafat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David his ancestor, and Y’horam his son became king in his place.
52 (51) Achazyah the son of Ach’av began his reign over Isra’el in Shomron in the seventeenth year of Y’hoshafat king of Y’hudah, and he ruled two years over Isra’el. 53 (52) He did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, living in the manner of his father, his mother and Yarov‘am the son of N’vat, by which he led Isra’el into sin. 54 (53) He also served Ba‘al and worshipped him; and he made Adonai the God of Isra’el angry, in keeping with everything his father had done.
1 Kings 22
The Message
22 1-3 They enjoyed three years of peace—no fighting between Aram and Israel. In the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah had a meeting with the king of Israel. Israel’s king remarked to his aides, “Do you realize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, and we’re sitting around on our hands instead of taking it back from the king of Aram?”
4-5 He turned to Jehoshaphat and said, “Will you join me in fighting for Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat said, “You bet. I’m with you all the way—my troops are your troops, my horses are your horses.” He then continued, “But before you do anything, ask God for guidance.”
6 The king of Israel got the prophets together—all four hundred of them—and put the question to them: “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead? Or should I hold back?”
“Go for it,” they said. “God will hand it over to the king.”
7 But Jehoshaphat dragged his heels: “Is there still another prophet of God around here we can consult?”
8 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “As a matter of fact, there is still one such man. But I hate him. He never preaches anything good to me, only doom, doom, doom—Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king shouldn’t talk about a prophet like that,” said Jehoshaphat.
9 So the king of Israel ordered one of his men, “On the double! Get Micaiah son of Imlah.”
10-12 Meanwhile, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat were seated on their thrones, dressed in their royal robes, resplendent in front of the Samaria city gates. All the prophets were staging a prophecy-performance for their benefit. Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had even made a set of iron horns, and brandishing them called out, “God’s word! With these horns you’ll gore Aram until there’s nothing left of him!” All the prophets chimed in, “Yes! Go for Ramoth Gilead! An easy victory! God’s gift to the king!”
13 The messenger who went to get Micaiah said, “The prophets have all said Yes to the king. Make it unanimous—vote Yes!”
14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as God lives, what God says, I’ll say.”
15 With Micaiah before him, the king asked him, “So Micaiah—do we attack Ramoth Gilead, or do we hold back?”
“Go ahead,” he said. “An easy victory. God’s gift to the king.”
16 “Not so fast,” said the king. “How many times have I made you promise under oath to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth?”
17 “All right,” said Micaiah, “since you insist.
I saw all of Israel scattered over the hills,
sheep with no shepherd.
Then God spoke: ‘These poor people
have no one to tell them what to do.
Let them go home and do
the best they can for themselves.’”
18 Then the king of Israel turned to Jehoshaphat, “See! What did I tell you? He never has a good word for me from God, only doom.”
19-23 Micaiah kept on: “I’m not done yet; listen to God’s word:
I saw God enthroned,
and all the angel armies of heaven
Standing at attention
ranged on his right and his left.
And God said, ‘How can we seduce Ahab
into attacking Ramoth Gilead?’
Some said this,
and some said that.
Then a bold angel stepped out,
stood before God, and said,
‘I’ll seduce him.’
‘And how will you do it?’ said God.
‘Easy,’ said the angel,
‘I’ll get all the prophets to lie.’
‘That should do it,’ said God.
‘On your way—seduce him!’
“And that’s what has happened. God filled the mouths of your puppet prophets with seductive lies. God has pronounced your doom.”
24 Just then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came up and punched Micaiah in the nose, saying, “Since when did the Spirit of God leave me and take up with you?”
25 Micaiah said, “You’ll know soon enough; you’ll know it when you’re frantically and futilely looking for a place to hide.”
26-27 The king of Israel had heard enough: “Get Micaiah out of here! Turn him over to Amon the city magistrate and to Joash the king’s son with this message, ‘King’s orders: Lock him up in jail; keep him on bread and water until I’m back in one piece.’”
28 Micaiah said, “If you ever get back in one piece, I’m no prophet of God.”
He added, “When it happens, O people, remember where you heard it!”
29-30 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Wear my kingly robe; I’m going into battle disguised.” So the king of Israel entered the battle in disguise.
31 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders (there were thirty-two of them): “Don’t bother with anyone, whether small or great; go after the king of Israel and him only.”
32-33 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat they said, “There he is! The king of Israel!” and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out, and the chariot commanders realized they had the wrong man—it wasn’t the king of Israel after all. They let him go.
34 Just then someone, without aiming, shot an arrow randomly into the crowd and hit the king of Israel in the chink of his armor. The king told his charioteer, “Turn back! Get me out of here—I’m wounded.”
35-37 All day the fighting continued, hot and heavy. Propped up in his chariot, the king watched from the sidelines. He died that evening. Blood from his wound pooled in the chariot. As the sun went down, shouts reverberated through the ranks, “Abandon camp! Head for home! The king is dead!”
37-38 The king was brought to Samaria and there they buried him. They washed down the chariot at the pool of Samaria where the town whores bathed, and the dogs lapped up the blood, just as God’s word had said.
39-40 The rest of Ahab’s life—everything he did, the ivory palace he built, the towns he founded, and the defense system he built up—is all written up in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. He was buried in the family cemetery and his son Ahaziah was the next king.
Jehoshaphat of Judah
41-44 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. He continued the kind of life characteristic of his father Asa—no detours, no dead ends—pleasing God with his life. But he failed to get rid of the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines. People continued to pray and worship at these idolatrous shrines. And he kept on good terms with the king of Israel.
45-46 The rest of Jehoshaphat’s life, his achievements and his battles, is all written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. Also, he got rid of the sacred prostitutes left over from the days of his father Asa.
47 Edom was kingless during his reign; a deputy was in charge.
48-49 Jehoshaphat built ocean-going ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But they never made it; they shipwrecked at Ezion Geber. During that time Ahaziah son of Ahab proposed a joint shipping venture, but Jehoshaphat wouldn’t go in with him.
50 Then Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the family cemetery in the City of David his ancestor. Jehoram his son was the next king.
Ahaziah of Israel
51-53 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. He ruled Israel for two years. As far as God was concerned, he lived an evil life, reproducing the bad life of his father and mother, repeating the pattern set down by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin. Worshiping at the Baal shrines, he made God, the God of Israel, angry, oh, so angry. If anything, he was worse than his father.
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.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson