1 Kings 22:13-28

New Century Version

¹³ The messenger who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, “All the other prophets are saying King Ahab will succeed. You should agree with them and give the king a good answer.”

¹⁴ But Micaiah answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.”

¹⁵ When Micaiah came to Ahab, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth in Gilead or not?”

Micaiah answered, “Attack and win! The Lord will hand them over to you.”

¹⁶ But Ahab said to Micaiah, “How many times do I have to tell you to speak only the truth to me in the name of the Lord?”

¹⁷ So Micaiah answered, “I saw the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘They have no leaders. They should go home and not fight.’”

¹⁸ Then Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you! He never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad.”

¹⁹ But Micaiah said, “Hear the message from the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with his heavenly army standing near him on his right and on his left. ²⁰ The Lord said, ‘Who will trick Ahab into attacking Ramoth in Gilead where he will be killed?’

“Some said one thing; some said another. ²¹ Then one spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will trick him.’

²² “The Lord asked, ‘How will you do it?’

“The spirit answered, ‘I will go to Ahab’s prophets and make them tell lies.’

“So the Lord said, ‘You will succeed in tricking him. Go and do it.’”

²³ Micaiah said, “Ahab, the Lord has made your prophets lie to you, and the Lord has decided that disaster should come to you.”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up to Micaiah and slapped him in the face. Zedekiah said, “Has the Lord’s spirit left me to speak through you?”

²⁵ Micaiah answered, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inside room.”

²⁶ Then Ahab king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son. ²⁷ Tell them I said to put this man in prison and give him only bread and water until I return safely from the battle.”

²⁸ Micaiah said, “Ahab, if you come back safely from battle, the Lord has not spoken through me. Remember my words, all you people!”