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Defeat and Death of Ahab

28 So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. 30 Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, “Fight with no one small or great but only with the king of Israel.” 31 When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him,(A) 32 for when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 33 But a certain man drew his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate, so he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”(B) 34 The battle grew hot that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening; then at sunset he died.

19 King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned in peace to his house in Jerusalem. Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the Lord.(C) Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the sacred poles[a] out of the land and have set your heart to seek God.”(D)

Footnotes

  1. 19.3 Or Asherahs

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[a] had commanded the commanders of his chariots,[b] 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[c] 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[d] 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[e] and struck the king of Israel between the soldering of his breastplate armor. Then he said to the chariot driver, “Turn around;[f] 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[g] until the evening. And he died at the time of the going down of the sun.

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms

19 Then Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him. And he said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you be a help to the wicked and love those who hate Yahweh? On account of this, wrath has come against you from Yahweh. Nevertheless some good things have been found in regard to you, for you burned the Asherahs out of the land and set your heart to seek God.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 18:30 Or “Syria”
  2. 2 Chronicles 18:30 Hebrew “chariot”
  3. 2 Chronicles 18:31 Hebrew “chariot”
  4. 2 Chronicles 18:32 Hebrew “chariot”
  5. 2 Chronicles 18:33 Literally “in his innocence”
  6. 2 Chronicles 18:33 Literally “Turn away your hand”
  7. 2 Chronicles 18:34 Or “Syria”