Ahab Dies in Battle

22 There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years.^{[a] 2} In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit^[b] the king of Israel. ³ The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.”^{[c] 4} Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.”^{[d] 5} But then Jehoshaphat said to Israel’s king, “Please seek a message from the Lord this very day.”^{[e] 6} So the king of Israel assembled about 400 prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?”^[f] They said, “Attack! The Sovereign One^[g] will hand it over to the king.” ⁷ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” ⁸ The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will.^[h] But I despise^[i] him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”^[j] Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.” ⁹ The king of Israel summoned an official and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

¹⁰ Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones,^[k] dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹¹ Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord has said, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’” ¹² All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.” ¹³ Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed.^[l] Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.”^{[m] 14} But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”

¹⁵ When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.”^{[n] 16} The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in^[o] the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?” ¹⁷ Micaiah^[p] said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’” ¹⁸ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?” ¹⁹ Micaiah^[q] said, “That being the case, listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing beside him on his right and on his left. ²⁰ The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die^[r] there?’ One said this and another that. ²¹ Then a spirit^[s] stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ ²² The Lord asked him, ‘How?’ He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord^[t] said, ‘Deceive and overpower him.^[u] Go out and do as you have proposed.’ ²³ So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.” ²⁴ Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s Spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?” ²⁵ Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.” ²⁶ Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son. ²⁷ Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water^[v] until I safely return.”’”^{[w] 28} Micaiah said, “If you really do safely return, then the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take note,^[x] all you people.”

²⁹ The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. ³⁰ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter^[y] into the battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle. ³¹ Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers;^[z] fight only the king of Israel.” ³² When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. ³³ When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. ³⁴ Now an archer shot an arrow at random,^[aa] and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king^[ab] ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line,^[ac] because I’m wounded.” ³⁵ While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot. ³⁶ As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.” ³⁷ So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him.^{[ad] 38} They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria. Then the dogs licked his blood, while the prostitutes bathed, in keeping with the Lord’s message that he had spoken.^[ae]

³⁹ The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.^{[af] 40} Ahab passed away.^[ag] His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.

Jehoshaphat’s Reign over Judah

⁴¹ In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. ⁴² Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³ He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved.^[ah] (22:44)^[ai] However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. ⁴⁴ (22:45) Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.

⁴⁵ The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.^{[aj] 46} He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa.^{[ak] 47} There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. ⁴⁸ Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships^[al] to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber. ⁴⁹ Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,”^[am] but Jehoshaphat refused.

⁵⁰ Jehoshaphat passed away^[an] and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor^[ao] David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.

Ahaziah’s Reign over Israel

⁵¹ In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel. ⁵² He did evil in the sight of^[ap] the Lord and followed in the footsteps^[aq] of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin.^{[ar] 53} He worshiped and bowed down to Baal,^[as] angering the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.^[at]