The Second Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 18 -

(1 Kings 22:1–12)

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.

And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead.

Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”

The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.

Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”

And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab

(1 Kings 22:13–28)

Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.”

When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”

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 the LORD?”

So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”

Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.

And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.

Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.

And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”

Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”

Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”

And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”

But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

(1 Kings 22:29–40)

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.

And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around

(a)

and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died.

Footnotes

(a)18:33 Literally Turn your hand

(1 Kings 22:1–12)

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab.

After some years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead.

Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.”

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the LORD’s word.”

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” They said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may inquire of him?”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.”

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “The LORD says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab

(1 Kings 22:13–28)

The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak good.”

Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, I will say what my God says.”

When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?” He said, “Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand.”

The king said to him, “How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the LORD’s name?”

He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the LORD’s word: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that way.

A spirit came out, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “The LORD said to him, ‘How?’

“He said, ‘I will go, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “He said, ‘You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go and do so.’

“Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and the LORD has spoken evil concerning you.”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the LORD’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?”

Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”

The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;

and say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.”’”

Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you people, all of you!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

(1 Kings 22:29–40)

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

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.

Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”

When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

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

A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded.”

The battle increased that day. However, the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening; and at about sunset, he died.