2 Chronicles 18:4-27
Holman Christian Standard Bible
4 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”
5 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, 400 men, and asked them, “Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?”
They replied, “March up, and God will hand it over to the king.”
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore? Let’s ask him.”(A)
7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can ask Yahweh, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king shouldn’t say that,” Jehoshaphat replied.
8 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”
9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria’s gate,(B) and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 10 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’” 11 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”
Micaiah’s Message of Defeat
12 The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will say whatever my God says.”[a](C)
14 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I[b] refrain?”
Micaiah said, “March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you.”
15 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”
16 So Micaiah said:
I saw all Israel scattered on the hills
like sheep without a shepherd.(D)
And the Lord said,
“They have no master;
let each return home in peace.”
17 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?”
18 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and the whole heavenly host was standing at His right hand and at His left hand.(E) 19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ So one was saying this and another was saying that.
20 “Then(F) a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“The Lord asked him, ‘How?’
21 “So he said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’
“Then He said, ‘You will entice him and also prevail. Go and do that.’
22 “Now, you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of[c] these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the spirit from the Lord leave me to speak to you?”
24 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day.”(G)
25 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him(H) to Amon, the governor of the city,(I) and to Joash, the king’s son, 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison(J) and feed him only bread and water[d] until I come back safely.’”
27 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he said, “Listen, all you people!”(K)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:13 LXX, Vg add to me; 1Kg 22:14
- 2 Chronicles 18:14 LXX reads we; 1Kg 22:15
- 2 Chronicles 18:22 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg add all; 1Kg 22:23
- 2 Chronicles 18:26 Lit him on bread of oppression and water of oppression
2 Chronicles 18:4-27
International Standard Version
4 But then Jehoshaphat asked the king of Israel, “Please ask for a message from the Lord, first.”
5 So the king of Israel gathered together 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 God will drop them right in the king’s hand.”
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord left here that we could talk to?”
7 “There is still one man left by whom we could ask the Lord what to do,” the king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “but I hate him because he won’t prophesy anything good about me. Instead, he always prophesies evil. He is Imla’s son Micaiah.”
But Jehoshaphat rebuked Ahab, “Kings[b] should never talk like that.”
8 Nevertheless, the king of Israel called an officer and ordered him, “Bring me Imla’s son Micaiah quickly.”
9 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were each sitting on their own thrones, arrayed in their robes, and sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to the city gate of Samaria, and all of the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 10 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!’”
11 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!”
Micaiah the True Prophet Warns Ahab and Jehoshaphat(A)
12 Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone off to summon Micaiah advised him, “Look, everything that the other prophets were saying has been unanimously favorable to the king. So please, cooperate with them and speak favorably.”
13 “As the Lord lives,” Micaiah replied, “I’ll say what my God tells me to say.”
14 When Micaiah[c] approached the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?”
“Go to war,” Micaiah[d] replied, “and you will be successful, because the Lord will hand it over to the king!”
15 When he heard this, the king asked him, “How many times do I have to ask you? Tell me nothing but the truth, and do it in the name of the Lord!”
16 And 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.’”
17 Then the king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy anything good about me, but only evil?”
18 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 surrounding him on his right hand and on his left hand.
19 “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.
20 “But then a spirit approached, stood in front of the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“And the Lord asked him, ‘How?’
21 “‘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.’
22 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.”
23 As if on cue, 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?”
24 Micaiah replied, “You’ll learn the answer to that question when the day comes that you run away to hide yourself in a closet!”
25 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. 26 Give him this order: ‘Place him in prison on survival rations only until I come back safely.’”
27 “If you return alive,” Micaiah responded, “then the Lord has not spoken by me.” Then he added, “Listen, everybody!”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Chronicles 18:5 The Heb. lacks the attack
- 2 Chronicles 18:7 Lit. The king
- 2 Chronicles 18:14 Lit. he
- 2 Chronicles 18:14 Lit. he
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
