1 Kings 22:29-40

GOD’S WORD Translation

²⁹ So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to Ramoth in Gilead. ³⁰ The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you should wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

³¹ The king of Aram had given orders to the 32 chariot commanders. He said, “Don’t fight anyone except the king of Israel.”

³² When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight him. But when Jehoshaphat cried out, ³³ the chariot commanders realized that he wasn’t the king of Israel. They turned away from him.

³⁴ One man aimed his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between his scale armor and his breastplate. Ahab told his chariot driver, “Turn around, and get me away from these troops. I’m badly wounded.” ³⁵ But the battle got worse that day, and the king was kept propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening. The blood from the wound had flowed into the chariot. ³⁶ At sundown a cry went through the army, “Every man to his own city! Every man to his own property!”

³⁷ When the king was dead, he was brought to Samaria to be buried. ³⁸ His chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria, where the prostitutes bathed. The dogs licked up his blood, as the Lord had predicted.

³⁹ Isn’t everything else about Ahab—everything he did, the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he fortified—written in the official records of the kings of Israel? ⁴⁰ Ahab lay down in death with his ancestors. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.