1 Kings 22:13-28

Modern English Version

¹³ The servant who had gone to get Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “See here, the words of the prophets unanimously declare success for the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.”

¹⁴ Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will speak whatever the Lord says to me.”

¹⁵ So he came to the king. And the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we wait?”

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

¹⁶ The king said to him, “How many times must I admonish you to tell me only the truth in the name of the Lord?”

¹⁷ And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let every man return to his own house in peace.’ ”

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

¹⁹ And he said, “Hear, therefore, the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside Him on His right hand and on His left. ²⁰ The Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab so that he will go up and die at Ramoth Gilead?’

“And one said this, and another said that. ²¹ Then a spirit came forth and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will persuade him.’

²² “The Lord said to him, ‘How?’

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

“And He said, ‘You will be successful and persuade him. Go forth, and do so.’

²³ “Now therefore, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets here, and He has spoken evil concerning you!”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah the son of Kenaanah walked up and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the spirit of the Lord go from me in order to speak to you?”

²⁵ And Micaiah said, “You will see in that day, when you go into an inner chamber to hide.”

²⁶ The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, ²⁷ and say, ‘Thus says the king: Put this man in the prison, and feed him with reduced rations of bread and water until I return safely.’ ”

²⁸ Micaiah said, “If you return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” And he said, “Listen, all you people!”