²³ But God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem, and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech.^(A)

A Prophecy of Deliverance from Foes

¹¹ For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false,^{(A) 12} so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.^(B)

² For the judgment you give will be the judgment you get, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.

¹⁹ And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice King Ahab of Israel, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said one thing, and another said another, ²⁰ until a certain spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’^{(A) 21} He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord^[a] said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.’ ²² So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; the Lord has decreed disaster for you.”^(B)

¹⁵ So the king did not listen to the people because it was a turn of affairs brought about by God so that the Lord might fulfill his word that he had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.^(A)

²² ‘How?’ the Lord asked him. He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord^[a] said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.’^{(A) 23} So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has decreed disaster for you.”^(B)