However, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please request the word of the Lord [a]first.” So the king of Israel assembled the [b]prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will hand it over to the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of him?” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything good regarding me, but always bad. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say so.”

Ahab’s False Prophets Assure Victory

Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly.” Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in their robes, and they were sitting (A)at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed!’” 11 All the prophets were prophesying this as well, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and be successful, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

Micaiah Brings Word from God

12 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are [c]unanimously favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them, and speak favorably.” 13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, (B)whatever my God says, I will speak it.”

14 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you!” 15 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you will tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 16 So he said,

“I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
(C)Like sheep that have no shepherd.
And the Lord said,
‘These people have no master.
Each of them is to return to his house in peace.’”

17 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything good regarding me, but only bad?”

18 And Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. (D)I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the [d]angels of heaven standing on His right and on His left. 19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will [e]entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one spirit said this, while another said that. 20 Then a (E)spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will [f]entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’ 21 He said, ‘I will go out and be (F)a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You shall [g]entice him, and you will also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 22 Now therefore, behold, (G)the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, for the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and (H)struck Micaiah on the cheek; and he said, “[h]How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?” 24 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you are going to see how on that day when you go from one inner room to [i]another trying to hide yourself.” 25 Then the king of Israel said, “(I)Take Micaiah and return him to Amon (J)the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 26 and say, ‘This is what the king says: “(K)Put this man in prison, and feed him enough bread and water to survive until I [j]return safely.”’” 27 But Micaiah said, “If you actually return [k]safely, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “[l](L)Listen, all you people!”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 18:4 Lit today
  2. 2 Chronicles 18:5 I.e., official prophets who at that time were false
  3. 2 Chronicles 18:12 Lit of one mouth
  4. 2 Chronicles 18:18 Lit host
  5. 2 Chronicles 18:19 Or persuade
  6. 2 Chronicles 18:20 Or persuade
  7. 2 Chronicles 18:21 Or persuade
  8. 2 Chronicles 18:23 Lit Which way
  9. 2 Chronicles 18:24 Lit inner room
  10. 2 Chronicles 18:26 Lit come in peace
  11. 2 Chronicles 18:27 Lit in peace
  12. 2 Chronicles 18:27 Heb shema

But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”

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.”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore? Let’s ask him.”(A)

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.

So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”

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 chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 18:13 LXX, Vg add to me; 1Kg 22:14
  2. 2 Chronicles 18:14 LXX reads we; 1Kg 22:15
  3. 2 Chronicles 18:22 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg add all; 1Kg 22:23
  4. 2 Chronicles 18:26 Lit him on bread of oppression and water of oppression