Add parallel Print Page Options

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for Yahweh’s word.”

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Should I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I refrain?”

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

But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of him?”

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

Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Quickly get Micaiah the son of Imlah.”

10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, and said, “Yahweh says, ‘With these you will push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’” 12 All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Read full chapter

But Jehoshaphat also asked the king of Israel, “Please ask for a message from the Lord, first.”

So the king of Israel called in about 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I call off the attack?”[a]

“Go attack them,” they all said, “because the Lord will drop them right into the king’s hand!”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord left here that we could talk to?”

“There is still one man left by whom we could ask the Lord what to do,”[b] the king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me. Instead, he prophesies evil. He is Imla’s son Micaiah.”

But Jehoshaphat rebuked Ahab, “Kings[c] should never talk like that.”

Nevertheless, the king of Israel called one of his officers and ordered him, “Bring me Imla’s son Micaiah quickly.”

10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were each sitting on their respective thrones, arrayed in their robes, on the threshing floor at the entrance to the city gate of Samaria, and all of the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Chenaanah’s son Zedekiah made iron horns for himself and told them, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these horns you are to gore the Arameans until they are eliminated!’”

12 All the other prophets were saying similar things, like “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and you will be successful, because the Lord will hand it over to the king!”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 22:6 The Heb. lacks the attack
  2. 1 Kings 22:8 The Heb. lacks what to do
  3. 1 Kings 22:8 Lit. The king