3 Kingdoms 22

1Three years passed without war between Syria and Israel.

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2Then it came to pass that in the third year, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah traveled down to the king of Israel.

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3And the king of Israel said to his servants, 'Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours? But we are silent about taking it from the hand of the king of Syria.'

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4So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'Will you go with us to fight at Ramoth Gilead?' Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, 'I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.'

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5Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, 'Ask the Lord today.'

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6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and the king said to them, 'Shall I go and fight against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?' So they said, 'Go up, for the Lord will surely deliver it into the hands of the king.'

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7But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, 'Is there yet not here another prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord through him?'

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8So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord. But for myself, I hate him because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but only evil.' Jehoshaphat the king of Judah said, 'Let not the king say such things.'

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9Then the king of Israel called a eunuch and said, 'Quickly, bring Micaiah the son of Imlah here.'

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10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat, each man on his throne, with armed men within the gates of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.

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11Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, 'Thus says the Lord, 'With these you shall gore Syria until they are brought to an end.' '

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12All the prophets prophesied in the same manner, saying, 'Go up to Ramoth Gilead and you will prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into your hands, even the king of Syria.'

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13Then the messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, 'Behold, all the prophets, speaking in one accord, are saying good things to the king. Come now, and let your word be as theirs, and speak good things.'

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14But Micaiah said, 'As the Lord lives, I will say whatever the Lord says to me.'

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15Then he came to the king, and the king said to him, 'Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?' He answered him, 'Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.'

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16So the king said to him, 'How many times shall I make you swear you are telling me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?'

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17Micaiah said, 'It was not so. I saw all Israel being scattered on the mountains, like a shepherd without a flock. The Lord is not with them. Let each return to his house in peace.'

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18Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, 'Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but on the contrary, evil?'

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19Micaiah said, 'No, this is not so, for I hear the word of the Lord. This is not so, for I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by on His right hand and on His left.

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20Then the Lord said, 'Who will deceive Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One spoke one way and another spoke in another way.

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21Then a spirit came forth and stood before the Lord and said, 'I will deceive him.' The Lord said to him, 'In what way?'

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22So he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' The Lord said, 'You shall deceive him, and you shall prevail. Go and do so.'

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23Now behold, the Lord put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours. So the Lord has spoken evil things against you.'

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24Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, 'Which spirit of the Lord is speaking in you?'

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25And Micaiah said, 'Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.'

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26So the king of Israel said, 'Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, son of the king;

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27and place him in prison. Feed him with bread of suffering and water of suffering until I return in peace.'

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28But Micaiah said, 'If you return in peace, the Lord did not speak through me.'

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29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

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30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, 'I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on my robes.' So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

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31Now the king of Syria commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, 'Fight with no one small or great except the king of Israel.'

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32So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, they said, 'Surely it is the king of Israel.' So they encircled him to fight him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.

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33When the captains of the chariots saw it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

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34Now a certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the lungs and the breastplate. So the king said to the driver of his chariot, 'Turn around, and take me out of the battle; for I am wounded.'

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35The battle turned that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and he died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot.

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36Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, 'Every man to his city, and every man to his own land.'

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37So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.

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38They also bathed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs and the swine licked up his blood while the prostitutes bathed, according to the words the Lord spoke.

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39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and everything he did, the ivory house he built, and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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40So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

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41Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

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42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

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43Now he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, but did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.

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44Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

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45Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

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46Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat and the might that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

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47So Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

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48Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

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49He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father Ahab, and in the way of his mother Jezebel, and in the sins of the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

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50For he served the Baals and worshiped them, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, according to all the things done before him.

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