1 Kings 22:13-28
Legacy Standard Bible
Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
13 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets, as if from one mouth, are good towards the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.” 14 But Micaiah said, “(A)As Yahweh lives, what (B)Yahweh says to me, that I shall speak.”
15 Then he came to the king, and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he said to him, “(C)Go up and succeed, 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 will speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?” 17 So he said,
“I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
(D)Like sheep which have no shepherd.
And Yahweh said,
‘These have no master.
Let each of them return to his house in peace.’”
18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “(E)Did I not say to you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
19 Then [a]Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of Yahweh. (F)I saw Yahweh sitting on His throne, and (G)all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. 20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before Yahweh and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 And Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and (H)be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You shall entice him and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 23 So now, behold, (I)Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; but Yahweh has spoken calamity against you.”
24 Then (J)Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “(K)How did the Spirit of Yahweh pass from me to speak to you?” 25 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you (L)enter an inner room to hide.” 26 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the commander of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king, “(M)Put this man in prison and feed him [b]sparingly with bread and water until I come back safely.”’” 28 And Micaiah said, “(N)If you indeed return safely, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” And he said, “(O)Listen, all you people.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 22:19 Lit he
- 1 Kings 22:27 Lit with bread of affliction and water of affliction
1 Kings 22:13-28
International Standard Version
Micaiah Predicts Failure(A)
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone off to summon Micaiah advised him, “Look, everything that the other prophets were saying was unanimously favorable to the king. So please, cooperate with them and speak favorably.”
14 “As the Lord lives,” Micaiah replied, “I’ll say what my God tells me to say.”
15 When Micaiah[a] approached the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?”
“Go to war,” Micaiah[b] replied, “and you will be successful, because the Lord will hand it over to the king!”
16 When he heard this, the king asked him, “How many times do I have to make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth? Now do it in the name of the Lord!”
17 So Micaiah replied:
“I saw all of Israel
scattered on the mountains
like sheep without a shepherd.
And the Lord told me,
‘These have no master,
so let them each return to his own home in peace.’”
18 Then the king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy anything good about me, but only evil?”
19 But Micaiah responded, “Therefore, listen to what the Lord has to say. I saw the Lord, sitting on his throne, and the entire Heavenly Army was standing around him on his right hand and on his left hand.
20 “The Lord asked, ‘Who will tempt King Ahab of Israel to attack Ramoth-gilead, so that he will die there?’ And one was saying one thing and one was saying another.
21 “But then a spirit approached, stood in front of the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 “And the Lord asked him, ‘How?’
“‘I will go,’ he announced, ‘and I will be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all of his prophets!’
“So the Lord said, ‘You’re just the one to deceive him. You will be successful. Go and do it.’
23 “Now therefore, listen! The Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouth of all of these prophets of yours, because the Lord has determined to bring disaster upon you.”
24 Right then, Chenaanah’s son Zedekiah approached Micaiah and struck him on the cheek. Then he asked him, “How did the Spirit of the Lord move from me to speak to you?”
25 Micaiah replied, “You’ll see how when the day comes that you run away to hide yourself in a closet!”
26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and place him in the custody of Amon, the city governor. Hand him over to Joash, the king’s son. 27 Give him this order: ‘Place him in prison on survival rations of bread and water only until I come back safely.’”
28 “If you return alive,” Micaiah responded, “then the Lord has not spoken by me.” Then he added, “Listen, all you people!”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 22:15 Lit. he
- 1 Kings 22:15 Lit. he
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