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2 Chronicles 18
1599 Geneva Bible
2 Chronicles 18
1599 Geneva Bible
18 1 Jehoshaphat maketh affinity with Ahab. 10 Four hundred Prophets counsel Ahab to go to war. 16 Michaiah is against them. 23 Zedekiah smiteth him. 25 The king putteth him in prison. 29 The effect of his prophecy.
1 And (A)Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, but he was joined in [a]affinity with Ahab.
2 And after certain [b]years he went down to Ahab to Samaria: and Ahab slew sheep and oxen for him in great number, and for the people that he had with him, and enticed him to go up unto [c]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 join with thee in the war.
4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Ask counsel, I pray thee, at the [d]word of the Lord this day.
5 Therefore the King of Israel gathered of [e]Prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I cease? And they said, Go up: for God shall deliver it into the king’s hand.
6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there here never a Prophet more of the Lord that we might inquire of him?
7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may ask counsel of the Lord: but I [f]hate him: for he doth not prophesy good unto me, but always evil: it is Michaiah the son of Imla. Then Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say [g]so.
8 And the king of Israel called an eunuch, and said, Call quickly Michaiah the son of Imla.
9 ¶ And the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat King of Judah sat either of them on his throne clothed in their [h]apparel: they sat even in the threshing floor at the entering in of the gate of Samaria: and all the Prophets prophesied before them.
10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him [i]horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Aramites until thou hast consumed them.
11 And all the Prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up in Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it unto the hand of the king.
12 ¶ And the messenger that went to call Michaiah, spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the Prophets declare good to the king with one [j]accord: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
13 And Michaiah said, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever my God saith, that will I speak.
14 ¶ So he came to the king, and the King said unto him, Michaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I leave off? And he said, [k]Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
15 And the King said to him, How oft shall I charge thee, that thou tell me nothing but the truth in the Name of the Lord?
16 Then he said, I saw all Israel scattered in the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, [l]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 unto me, but evil?
18 Again he said, Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sit upon his throne, and all the [m]host of heaven standing at his right hand, and at his left.
19 And the Lord said, Who shall [n]persuade Ahab King of Israel, that he may go up, and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one spake and said thus, and another said that.
20 Then there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherein?
21 And he said, I will go out, and be a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. And [o]he said, Thou shalt persuade, and shalt also prevail: go forth and do so.
22 Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a [p]false spirit in the mouth of these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath determined evil against thee.
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Michaiah upon the [q]cheek, and said, By what way went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to speak with thee?
24 And Michaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thee.
25 And the King of Israel said, Take ye Michaiah, and carry him to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son,
26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this man in the prison house, and feed him with bread of [r]affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
27 And Michaiah said, If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And [s]he said, Hear, all ye people.
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 [t]change myself, and enter into the battle: but put thou on thine apparel. So the king of Israel changed himself, and they went into the battle.
30 And the king of Aram had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small nor great, but against the king of Israel only.
31 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel: and they compassed about him to fight. But Jehoshaphat [u]cried, and the Lord helped him and moved them to depart from him.
32 For when the captains of the chariots saw that he was not the King of Israel, they turned back from him.
33 Then a certain man drew a bow [v]mightily, and smote the King of Israel between the joints [w]of his brigandine: Therefore he said to his chariotman, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host: for I am hurt.
34 And the battle increased that day: and the king of Israel [x]stood still in his chariot against the Aramites until even, and died at the time of the sun going down.
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:1 For Joram Jehoshaphat’s son married Ahab’s daughter.
- 2 Chronicles 18:2 That is, the third year, 1 Kings 22:2.
- 2 Chronicles 18:2 To recover it out of the hands of the Syrians.
- 2 Chronicles 18:4 Hear the advice of some Prophet, to know whether it be God’s will.
- 2 Chronicles 18:5 Which were the prophets of Baal, signifying that the wicked esteem none but flatterers, and such as will bear with their inordinate affections.
- 2 Chronicles 18:7 Yet the true ministers of God ought not to cease to do their duty, though the wicked magistrates cannot abide them to speak the truth.
- 2 Chronicles 18:7 Meaning, that he ought not to refuse to hear any that was of God.
- 2 Chronicles 18:9 That is, in their majesty and royal apparel.
- 2 Chronicles 18:10 Read 1 Kings 22:11.
- 2 Chronicles 18:12 Thinking, that whereas four hundred prophets had agreed in one thing, that he being but one man and in least estimation, durst not gainsay it.
- 2 Chronicles 18:14 He spake this by derision of the false prophets, as the King well perceived.
- 2 Chronicles 18:16 He prophesieth of how the people should be dispersed and Ahab slain.
- 2 Chronicles 18:18 Meaning, his Angels.
- 2 Chronicles 18:19 Or, deceive.
- 2 Chronicles 18:21 That is, the Lord.
- 2 Chronicles 18:22 To them that will not believe the truth, God sendeth strong delusion that they should believe lies, 2 Thess. 2:10.
- 2 Chronicles 18:23 By this cruelty, his ambition and hypocrisy was discovered: thus the hypocrites boast of the Spirit which they have not, and declare their malice against them in whom the true Spirit is.
- 2 Chronicles 18:26 Keep him straitly in prison, and let him feel hunger and thirst.
- 2 Chronicles 18:27 Or, Micaiah.
- 2 Chronicles 18:29 Thus the wicked think by their own subtlety to escape God’s judgments which he threateneth by his word.
- 2 Chronicles 18:31 He cried to the Lord by acknowledging his fault in going with this wicked king to war against the word of the Lord by his Prophet, and also by desiring mercy for the same.
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 Hebrew, in his simplicity, or ignorantly.
- 2 Chronicles 18:33 Or, between the habergeon.
- 2 Chronicles 18:34 He dissembled his hurt that his soldiers might fight more courageously.
2 Chronicles 18
New International Version
2 Chronicles 18
New International Version
Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab(A)
18 Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor,(B) and he allied(C) himself with Ahab(D) by marriage. 2 Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead. 3 Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” 4 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”
5 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”
7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.
8 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
9 Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 10 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
11 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead(E) and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
12 The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”(F)
14 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”
15 The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
16 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel(G) scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd,(H) and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’”
17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
18 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne(I) with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. 20 Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.
21 “‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit(J) in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
22 “So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours.(K) The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped(L) Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from[a] the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.
24 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
25 The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison(M) and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
27 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead(N)
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised(O) himself and went into battle.
30 Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out,(P) and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, 32 for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
33 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 34 All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.(Q)
Footnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:23 Or Spirit of
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