٢ أخبار 18

١ 1 وَكَانَ لِيَهُوشَافَاطَ غِنًى وَكَرَامَةٌ بِكَثْرَةٍ. وَصَاهَرَ أَخْآبَ.

Now Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and highly honored, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.

٢ 2 وَنَزَلَ بَعْدَ سِنِينَ إِلَى أَخْآبَ إِلَى ٱلسَّامِرَةِ، فَذَبَحَ أَخْآبُ غَنَمًا وَبَقَرًا بِكَثْرَةٍ لَهُ وَلِلشَّعْبِ ٱلَّذِي مَعَهُ، وَأَغْوَاهُ أَنْ يَصْعَدَ إِلَى رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ.

Some years later he went to pay Ahab a visit in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people who accompanied him, and encouraged him to attack Ramoth-gilead.

٣ 3 وَقَالَ أَخْآبُ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِيَهُوشَافَاطَ مَلِكِ يَهُوذَا: «أَتَذْهَبُ مَعِي إِلَى رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ؟» وَقَالَ لَهُ: «مَثَلِي مَثَلُكَ وَشَعْبِي كَشَعْبِكَ وَمَعَكَ فِي ٱلْقِتَالِ».

Ahab, king of Israel, asked Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, “Would you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied, “You and I are as one, and my men and your men are as one. We will join forces with you in this war.”

٤ 4 ثُمَّ قَالَ يَهُوشَافَاطُ لِمَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ: «ٱسْأَلِ ٱلْيَوْمَ عَنْ كَلَامِ ٱلرَّبِّ».

Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “But first though, please find out what the Lord says.”

٥ 5 فَجَمَعَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءَ، أَرْبَعَ مِئَةِ رَجُلٍ، وَقَالَ لَهُمْ: «أَنَذْهَبُ إِلَى رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ لِلْقِتَالِ أَمْ أَمْتَنِعُ؟» فَقَالُوا: «ٱصْعَدْ فَيَدْفَعَهَا ٱللهُ لِيَدِ ٱلْمَلِكِ».

So the king of Israel brought out the prophets—four hundred of them—and he asked them, “Should we go up and attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?” “Yes, go ahead,” they replied, “for God will hand it over to the king.”

٦ 6 فَقَالَ يَهُوشَافَاطُ: «أَلَيْسَ هُنَا أَيْضًا نَبِيٌّ لِلرَّبِّ فَنَسْأَلَ مِنْهُ؟»

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn't there another prophet of the Lord here that we can ask?”

٧ 7 فَقَالَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِيَهُوشَافَاطَ: «بَعْدُ رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ لِسُؤَالِ ٱلرَّبِّ بِهِ، وَلَكِنَّنِي أُبْغِضُهُ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَتَنَبَّأُ عَلَيَّ خَيْرًا بَلْ شَرًّا كُلَّ أَيَّامِهِ، وَهُوَ مِيخَا بْنُ يَمْلَةَ». فَقَالَ يَهُوشَافَاطُ: «لَا يَقُلِ ٱلْمَلِكُ هَكَذَا».

“Yes, there's another man who could consult the Lord,” the king of Israel replied, “but I don't like him because he never prophesies anything good for me—it's always bad! His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah.” “You shouldn't talk like that,” said Jehoshaphat.

٨ 8 فَدَعَا مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ خَصِيًّا وَقَالَ: «أَسْرِعْ بِمِيخَا بْنِ يَمْلَةَ».

The king of Israel called over one of his officials and told him, “Bring me Micaiah, son of Imlah, right away.”

٩ 9 وَكَانَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَيَهُوشَافَاطُ مَلِكُ يَهُوذَا جَالِسَيْنِ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّهِ، لَابِسَيْنِ ثِيَابَهُمَا وَجَالِسَيْنِ فِي سَاحَةٍ عِنْدَ مَدْخَلِ بَابِ ٱلسَّامِرَةِ، وَجَمِيعُ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ يَتَنَبَّأُونَ أَمَامَهُمَا.

Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor beside the gate of Samaria, with all of the prophets prophesying in front of them.

١٠ 10 وَعَمِلَ صِدْقِيَّا بْنُ كَنْعَنَةَ لِنَفْسِهِ قُرُونَ حَدِيدٍ وَقَالَ: «هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: بِهَذِهِ تَنْطَحُ ٱلْأَرَامِيِّينَ حَتَّى يَفْنَوْا».

One of them, Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, had made himself iron horns. He announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these horns you will gore the Arameans until they're dead!”

١١ 11 وَتَنَبَّأَ جَمِيعُ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ هَكَذَا قَائِلِينَ: «ٱصْعَدْ إِلَى رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ وَأَفْلِحْ، فَيَدْفَعَهَا ٱلرَّبُّ لِيَدِ ٱلْمَلِكِ».

All the prophets were prophesying the same thing, saying, “Go ahead, attack Ramoth-gilead; you will be successful, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

١٢ 12 وَأَمَّاَ ٱلرَّسُولُ ٱلَّذِي ذَهَبَ لِيَدْعُوَ مِيخَا فَكَلَّمَهُ قَائِلًا: «هُوَذَا كَلَامُ جَمِيعِ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ بِفَمٍ وَاحِدٍ خَيْرٌ لِلْمَلِكِ. فَلْيَكُنْ كَلَامُكَ كَوَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَتَكَلَّمْ بِخَيْرٍ».

The messenger who went to call Micaiah told him, “Look, all the prophets are unanimous in prophesying positively to the king. So please make sure to speak positively like them.”

١٣ 13 فَقَالَ مِيخَا: «حَيٌّ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ، إِنَّ مَا يَقُولُهُ إِلَهِي فَبِهِ أَتَكَلَّمُ».

But Micaiah replied, “As the Lord lives, I can only say what my God tells me.”

١٤ 14 وَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِلَى ٱلْمَلِكِ قَالَ لَهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ: «يَا مِيخَا، أَنَذْهَبُ إِلَى رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ لِلْقِتَالِ أَمْ أَمْتَنِعُ؟» فَقَالَ: «ٱصْعَدُوا وَأَفْلِحُوا فَيُدْفَعُوا لِيَدِكُمْ».

When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Should we go up and attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?” “Yes, go ahead and be victorious,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be handed over to the king.”

١٥ 15 فَقَالَ لَهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ: «كَمْ مَرَّةٍ أَسْتَحْلِفُكَ أَنْ لَا تَقُولَ لِي إِلَّا ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱسْمِ ٱلرَّبِّ؟»

But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me only the truth in the name of the Lord?”

١٦ 16 فَقَالَ: «رَأَيْتُ كُلَّ إِسْرَائِيلَ مُشَتَّتِينَ عَلَى ٱلْجِبَالِ كَخِرَافٍ لَا رَاعِيَ لَهَا. فَقَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: لَيْسَ لِهَؤُلَاءِ أَصْحَابٌ، فَلْيَرْجِعُوا كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ بِسَلَامٍ».

So Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These people have no master; let each of them go home in peace.’”

١٧ 17 فَقَالَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِيَهُوشَافَاطَ: «أَمَا قُلْتُ لَكَ إِنَّهُ لَا يَتَنَبَّأُ عَلَيَّ خَيْرًا بَلْ شَرًّا؟»

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn't I tell you he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad?”

١٨ 18 وَقَالَ: «فَٱسْمَعْ إِذًا كَلَامَ ٱلرَّبِّ. قَدْ رَأَيْتُ ٱلرَّبَّ جَالِسًا عَلَى كُرْسِيِّهِ، وَكُلُّ جُنْدِ ٱلسَّمَاءِ وُقُوفٌ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ يَسَارِهِ.

Micaiah went on to say, “So listen to what the Lord says. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, surrounded by the whole army of heaven standing to his right and to his left.

١٩ 19 فَقَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: مَنْ يُغْوِي أَخْآبَ مَلِكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ فَيَصْعَدَ وَيَسْقُطَ فِي رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ؟ فَقَالَ هَذَا هَكَذَا، وَقَالَ ذَاكَ هَكَذَا.

The Lord asked, ‘Who will trick Ahab, king of Israel, into attacking Ramoth-gilead so he will be killed there?’ One said this, another said that, and another said something else.

٢٠ 20 ثُمَّ خَرَجَ ٱلرُّوحُ وَوَقَفَ أَمَامَ ٱلرَّبِّ وَقَالَ: أَنَا أُغْوِيهِ. فَقَالَ لَهُ ٱلرَّبُّ: بِمَاذَا؟

Finally a spirit came and approached the Lord and said, ‘I will trick him.’ ‘How are you going to do that?’ the Lord asked.

٢١ 21 فَقَالَ: أَخْرُجُ وَأَكُونُ لِرُوحِ كَذِبٍ فِي أَفْوَاهِ جَمِيعِ أَنْبِيَائِهِ. فَقَالَ: إِنَّكَ تُغْوِيهِ وَتَقْتَدِرُ. فَٱخْرُجْ وَٱفْعَلْ هَكَذَا.

‘I will go and be a lying spirit and make all his prophets tell lies,’ the spirit replied. ‘That will work,’ the Lord responded. ‘Go and do it.’

٢٢ 22 وَٱلْآنَ هُوَذَا قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱلرَّبُّ رُوحَ كَذِبٍ فِي أَفْوَاهِ أَنْبِيَائِكَ هَؤُلَاءِ، وَٱلرَّبُّ تَكَلَّمَ عَلَيْكَ بِشَرٍّ».

As you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced your death sentence.”

٢٣ 23 فَتَقَدَّمَ صِدْقِيَّا بْنُ كَنْعَنَةَ وَضَرَبَ مِيخَا عَلَى ٱلْفَكِّ وَقَالَ: «مِنْ أَيِّ طَرِيقٍ عَبَرَ رُوحُ ٱلرَّبِّ مِنِّي لِيُكَلِّمَكَ؟».

Then Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, went and slapped Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go when he left me to speak to you?”

٢٤ 24 فَقَالَ مِيخَا: «إِنَّكَ سَتَرَى فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلَّذِي تَدْخُلُ فِيهِ مِنْ مُخْدَعٍ إِلَى مُخْدَعٍ لِتَخْتَبِئَ».

“You'll soon find out when you try and find some secret place to hide!” Micaiah replied.

٢٥ 25 فَقَالَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: «خُذُوا مِيخَا وَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى أَمُّونَ رَئِيسِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَإِلَى يُوآشَ ٱبْنِ ٱلْمَلِكِ،

The king of Israel ordered, “Place Micaiah under arrest and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to my son Joash.

٢٦ 26 وَقُولُوا هَكَذَا يَقُولُ ٱلْمَلِكُ: ضَعُوا هَذَا فِي ٱلسِّجْنِ، وَأَطْعِمُوهُ خُبْزَ ٱلضِّيقِ وَمَاءَ ٱلضِّيقِ حَتَّى أَرْجِعَ بِسَلَامٍ».

Tell them these are the king's instructions: ‘Put this man in jail. Give him only bread and water until my safe return.’”

٢٧ 27 فَقَالَ مِيخَا: «إِنْ رَجَعْتَ رُجُوعًا بِسَلَامٍ، فَلَمْ يَتَكَلَّمِ ٱلرَّبُّ بِي». وَقَالَ: «ٱسْمَعُوا أَيُّهَا ٱلشُّعُوبُ أَجْمَعُونَ».

“If you do in fact return safely then the Lord has not spoken through me,” Micaiah declared. “Pay attention everyone to all I've said!”

٢٨ 28 فَصَعِدَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَيَهُوشَافَاطُ مَلِكُ يَهُوذَا إِلَى رَامُوتِ جِلْعَادَ.

The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went to attack Ramoth-gilead.

٢٩ 29 وَقَالَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ لِيَهُوشَافَاطَ: «إِنِّي أَتَنَكَّرُ وَأَدْخُلُ ٱلْحَرْبَ، وَأَمَّا أَنْتَ فَٱلْبَسْ ثِيَابَكَ». فَتَنَكَّرَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَدَخَلَا ٱلْحَرْبَ.

The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “When I go into battle I will be in disguise, but you should wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

٣٠ 30 وَأَمَرَ مَلِكُ أَرَامَ رُؤَسَاءَ ٱلْمَرْكَبَاتِ ٱلَّتِي لَهُ قَائِلًا: «لَا تُحَارِبُوا صَغِيرًا وَلَا كَبِيرًا إِلَّا مَلِكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَحْدَهُ».

The king of Aram had already given these orders to his chariot commanders: “Head straight for the king of Israel alone. Don't fight with anyone else, whoever they are.”

٣١ 31 فَلَمَّا رَأَى رُؤَسَاءُ ٱلْمَرْكَبَاتِ يَهُوشَافَاطَ قَالُوا: «إِنَّهُ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ»، فَحَاوَطُوهُ لِلْقِتَالِ، فَصَرَخَ يَهُوشَافَاطُ، وَسَاعَدَهُ ٱلرَّبُّ وَحَوَّلَهُمُ ٱللهُ عَنْهُ.

So when the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “There's the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat called out for help, and the Lord did help him. God redirected them away from him,

٣٢ 32 فَلَمَّا رَأَى رُؤَسَاءُ ٱلْمَرْكَبَاتِ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مَلِكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ رَجَعُوا عَنْهُ.

for when the chariot commanders realized that he wasn't the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.

٣٣ 33 وَإِنَّ رَجُلًا نَزَعَ فِي قَوْسِهِ غَيْرَ مُتَعَمِّدٍ وَضَرَبَ مَلِكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ بَيْنَ أَوْصَالِ ٱلدِّرْعِ، فَقَالَ لِمُدِيرِ ٱلْمَرْكَبَةِ: «رُدَّ يَدَكَ وَأَخْرِجْنِي مِنَ ٱلْجَيْشِ لِأَنِّي قَدْ جُرِحْتُ».

However, an enemy archer shot an arrow at random, hitting the king of Israel between the joints of his armor by his breastplate. The king told his charioteer, “Turn around and get me out of the fight, because I've been wounded!”

٣٤ 34 وَٱشْتَدَّ ٱلْقِتَالُ فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ، وَأُوقِفَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي ٱلْمَرْكَبَةِ مُقَابِلَ أَرَامَ إِلَى ٱلْمَسَاءِ، وَمَاتَ عِنْدَ غُرُوبِ ٱلشَّمْسِ.

The battle lasted all day. The king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot to face the Arameans until the evening. But he died at sunset.