2 Chronicles 18
American Standard Version
18 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab. 2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead. 3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire [a]first, I pray thee, for the word of Jehovah. 5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king. 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we may inquire of him? 7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah: but I hate him; for he never prophesieth good concerning me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 8 Then the king of Israel called an [b]officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. 9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in [c]an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron and said, Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed. 11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.
12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good. 13 And Micaiah said, As Jehovah liveth, what my God saith, that will I speak. 14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, [d]Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Jehovah? 16 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace. 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? 18 And Micaiah said, Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19 And Jehovah said, Who shall [e]entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20 And there came forth [f]a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? 21 And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so. 22 Now therefore, behold, Jehovah hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets; and Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee.
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak unto thee? 24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt go [g]into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 25 And the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 26 and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace. 27 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you.
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle. 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. 31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. 32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 33 And a certain man drew his bow [h]at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between [i]the joints of the armor: wherefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded. 34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:4 Hebrew to-day.
- 2 Chronicles 18:8 Or, eunuch
- 2 Chronicles 18:9 Hebrew a threshing-floor.
- 2 Chronicles 18:14 Hebrew Micah.
- 2 Chronicles 18:19 Or, deceive
- 2 Chronicles 18:20 Hebrew the spirit.
- 2 Chronicles 18:24 Or, from chamber to chamber
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 Hebrew in his simplicity.
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 Or, the lower armor and the breastplate
2 Chronicles 18
Lexham English Bible
Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab
18 Now Jehoshaphat had much wealth and honor, and he became son-in-law to Ahab. 2 And after some years[a] he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him, and urged him to go up against Ramoth-Gilead. 3 And Ahab the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, “Will you go up with me to Ramoth-Gilead?” And he answered him, “I am as you are, and my people are as your people with you in war.”
4 Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Seek first of all[b] the word of Yahweh.” 5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men. And he said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we cease?” And they said, “Go up, since God will give it into the hand of the king.” 6 Then Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of Yahweh that we might inquire of him?” 7 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom to seek Yahweh, but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always[c] disaster. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah.” Then Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say thus.” 8 Then the king of Israel called to a eunuch and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah the son of Imlah.”
9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were each sitting on his throne, clothed in robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10 And Zedekiah the son of Kenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘With these you will gore Aram[d] to their destruction.’” 11 And all the prophets prophesied thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and triumph! Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king.”
12 Then the messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets are good with one voice to the king. Please let your word be as one with them and speak good.” 13 But Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, only what my God has said, that will I speak.”
14 And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to war or shall I cease?” And he said, “Go up and triumph! They shall be given into your hand.” 15 But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak nothing except the truth in the name of Yahweh?” 16 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains like sheep that had no shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘These have no masters; let them return to his own house in peace.’” 17 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not say to you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only disaster?” 18 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting upon his throne with all the host of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 19 And Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel that he would go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?’ And one said this, and another said that. 20 Then a spirit came forth and stood before Yahweh and said, ‘I will entice him.’ Then Yahweh said to him, ‘By what means?’ 21 Then he said, ‘I will go forth and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You will entice him and will also succeed. Go out and do so.’ 22 So now, behold, Yahweh has put a spirit of deception into the mouths of these your prophets. Yahweh has spoken disaster against you.”
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Kenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way[e] did the Spirit of Yahweh come from me to speak to you?” 24 Then Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you go into a private room to hide yourself.” 25 Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the commander of the city and to Jehoash the son of the king, 26 and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this one into the prison house, and let him eat a meager ration of bread and water[f] until I return in peace.”’” 27 And Micaiah said, “If you surely return in peace Yahweh has not spoken with me.” Then he said, “Hear, peoples, all of them!”
The Death of Ahab
28 Then the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you, wear your garments.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went to war. 30 Now the king of Aram[g] had commanded the commanders of his chariots,[h] saying, “Do not fight with the small or the great, but only with the king of Israel.” 31 And it happened that when the commanders of the chariots[i] saw Jehoshaphat, then they said, “It is the king of Israel!” And they turned against him to fight. Then Jehoshaphat cried out and Yahweh helped him. God drove them away from him. 32 And it happened that when the commanders of the chariots[j] saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from following him. 33 Now a certain man drew the bow at random[k] and struck the king of Israel between the soldering of his breastplate armor. Then he said to the chariot driver, “Turn around;[l] get me away from the war camp, for I am wounded.” 34 And the battle went on that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in the chariot facing Aram[m] until the evening. And he died at the time of the going down of the sun.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:2 Literally “at the end of years”
- 2 Chronicles 18:4 Literally “as the day”
- 2 Chronicles 18:7 Literally “all his days”
- 2 Chronicles 18:10 Or “Syria”
- 2 Chronicles 18:23 Literally “Where is this the way”
- 2 Chronicles 18:26 Literally “bread a short ration and water a short ration”
- 2 Chronicles 18:30 Or “Syria”
- 2 Chronicles 18:30 Hebrew “chariot”
- 2 Chronicles 18:31 Hebrew “chariot”
- 2 Chronicles 18:32 Hebrew “chariot”
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 Literally “in his innocence”
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 Literally “Turn away your hand”
- 2 Chronicles 18:34 Or “Syria”
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