2 Chronicles 18

1 Therefore, Jehoshaphat was wealthy and very famous, and he was joined by affinity to Ahab.

And it came to pass, when Jehoshaphat had riches and honour, in abundance, that he contracted, by marriage, affinity with Ahab.

2 And after some years, he descended to him in Samaria. And upon his arrival, Ahab slaughtered very many sheep and oxen, for him and for the people who had arrived with him. And he persuaded him that he should ascend against Ramoth Gilead.

So he went down, at the end of some years, unto Ahab, to Samaria, Ahab therefore sacrificed for him, sheep and oxen, in abundance, also for the people whom he had with him, -and then persuaded him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

3 And Ahab, the king of Israel, said to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, “Come with me to Ramoth Gilead.” And he answered him: “As I am, so also are you. As your people are, so also are my people. And we will be with you in war.”

For Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go up with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he said unto him—So am I, even as thou, and, like thy people, are my people, and, with thee, in the war.

4 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Consult, I beg you, the word of the Lord for the present circumstances.”

Then said Jehoshaphat, unto the king of Israel, —Seek, I pray thee, some time to-day, the word of Yahweh.

5 And so the king of Israel gathered together four hundred men of the prophets, and he said to them: “Should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or should we be quieted?” But they said, “Ascend, and God will deliver into the hand of the king.”

So the king of Israel gathered together the prophets, four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go up against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said—Go up, and may God deliver it into the hand of the king!

6 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord here, so that we may inquire of him as well?”

Then said Jehoshaphat, Is there not here a prophet of Yahweh, besides, —that we may seek, from him?

7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “There is one man, from whom we would be able to ask the will of the Lord. But I hate him, for he never prophesies good to me, but at all times evil. And it is Micaiah, the son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “You should not speak in this manner, O king.”

Then said the king of Israel unto Jehoshaphat—There is yet one man, by whom to seek Yahweh, but, I, hate him, for he is never prophesying, concerning me, anything good—but—all his days—evil, the same, is Micaiah, son of Imla. Then said Jehoshaphat, Let not the king say, so!

8 Therefore, the king of Israel called one of the eunuchs, and said to him: “Quickly, summon Micaiah, the son of Imlah.”

And the king of Israel called for a certain officer, —and said, Haste, Micaiah son of Imla!

9 Now the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were both sitting upon their thrones, clothed in royal vestments. And they were sitting in an open area, beside the gate of Samaria. And all the prophets were prophesying before them.

Now, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, were sitting, each upon his throne, clothed in robes, and they were sitting in an open space, at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, —and, all the prophets, were prophesying before them.

10 Truly, Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made for himself horns of iron, and he said: “Thus says the Lord: With these, you shall threaten Syria, until you crush it.”

Then did Zedekiah son of Chenaanah make him horns of iron, —and said—Thus, saith Yahweh, With these, shalt thou push Syria, until they are consumed.

11 And all the prophets prophesied similarly, and they said: “Ascend against Ramoth Gilead, and you shall prosper, and the Lord will deliver them into the hand of the king.”

And, all the prophets, were prophesying, so, saying, -Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper, and Yahweh will deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

12 Then the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him: “Lo, the words of all the prophets, with one mouth, announce good to the king. Therefore, I ask you that you not dissent from them in your word, and that you speak prosperity.”

And, the messenger who went to call Micaiah, spake unto him, saying, Lo! the words of the prophets, with one mouth, are good for the king, —be thy word then, I pray thee, like one of theirs, so wilt thou speak good.

13 And Micaiah responded to him, “As the Lord lives, whatever my God will say to me, the same shall I speak.”

Then said Micaiah, —By the life of Yahweh, whatsoever my God shall say, that, must I speak.

14 Therefore, he went to the king. And the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or should we be quieted?” And he responded to him: “Ascend. For everything will come to prosperity, and the enemies will be delivered into your hands.”

Now, when he came unto the king, the king said unto him, Micah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up and prosper, and may they be delivered into your hand.

15 And the king said, “Again and again, I bind you by an oath, so that you will not speak to me except what is true in the name of the Lord!”

Then the king said unto him, How many times, must, I, be putting thee on oath, —that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?

16 Then he said: “I saw all of Israel scattered amid the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said: ‘These have no masters. Let each one return in peace to his own house.’”

So he said, I saw all Israel, scattered upon the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd, -and Yahweh said, No masters, have these! let them return every man unto his own house, in peace.

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “Did I not tell you that this one would not prophesy to me anything good, but only what is evil?”

Then said the king of Israel, unto Jehoshaphat, —Said I not unto thee, He wilt not prophesy concerning me anything good, but evil?

18 Then he said: “Therefore, listen to the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing beside him, on the right and on the left.

Then said he, Therefore, hear ye the word of Yahweh, —I saw Yahweh, sitting upon his throne, and, all the host of the heavens, standing, on his right hand and his left.

19 And the Lord said: ‘Who will deceive Ahab, the king of Israel, so that he may ascend and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ And when one spoke in one way, and another in another way,

Then said Yahweh, Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall in Ramoth-gilead? And one spake, saying after this manner, and another, saying after that manner.

20 there came forward a spirit, and he stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will deceive him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘In what way will you deceive him?’

Then came there forth a spirit and stood before Yahweh, and said, I, will persuade him. And Yahweh said unto him, Wherewith?

21 And he responded, ‘I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said: ‘You will deceive and prevail. Go forth and do so.’

And he said, I will go forth and become a spirit of falsehood, in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said—Thou mayest persuade, moreover also, thou shalt prevail, go forth, and do, so.

22 Therefore now, behold: the Lord gave a lying spirit to the mouth of all your prophets, and the Lord has spoken evil about you.”

Now, therefore, lo! Yahweh hath suffered a spirit of falsehood to be put into the mouth of these thy prophets, —but, Yahweh, hath spoken concerning thee—evil.

23 Then Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, approached, and he struck Micaiah on the jaw, and he said: “In what way did the Spirit of the Lord depart from me, so that he would speak to you?”

Then drew near Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, —and said, Which then is the way the spirit of Yahweh passed from me, to speak with thee?

24 And Micaiah said: “You yourself shall see it, in that day, when you will enter a room within a room, so that you may be hidden.”

Then said Micaiah, Lo! thou shalt see, on that day when thou shalt enter into a chamber within a chamber, to hide thyself.

25 Then the king of Israel instructed, saying: “Take Micaiah, and lead him to Amon, the leader of the city, and to Joash, the son of Amalech.

Then said the king of Israel, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon ruler of the city, and unto Joash son of the king;

26 And you shall say: ‘Thus says the king: Send this man to prison, and give to him a little bread and a little water, until I return in peace.’”

and ye shall say, Thus, saith the king, Put ye this one into the prison, —and feed him with the bread of oppression, and with the water of oppression, until I return in peace.

27 And Micaiah said, “If you will have returned in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “May all the people listen.”

Then said Micaiah, If thou do, at all return, in peace, Yahweh hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear! ye peoples, all!

28 And so, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, ascended against Ramoth Gilead.

Then went up the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, against Ramothgilead.

29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “I will change my clothing, and in this way I will go into battle. But you should be clothed in your own garments.” And the king of Israel, having changed his clothing, went to war.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [I am about] to disguise myself, and enter into the battle, but, thou, put on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into the battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had instructed the commanders of his horsemen, saying, “You shall not fight against the least or the greatest, but only against the king of Israel.”

Now, the king of Syria, had commanded the captains of chariots which he had, saying, Ye shall not fight, with small [or] with great, —save with the king of Israel, alone.

31 And so, when the leaders of the horsemen had seen Jehoshaphat, they said, “This one is the king of Israel.” And while fighting, they surrounded him. But he cried out to the Lord, and he assisted him, and he turned them away from him.

So it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw Jehoshaphat, that, they, said, The king of Israel, it is. And they compassed him about, to fight, —but Jehoshaphat made outcry, and, Yahweh, helped him, yea God allured them away from him.

32 For when the commanders of the horsemen had seen that he was not the king of Israel, they left him.

And so it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him;

33 Then it happened that one of the people shot an arrow indiscriminately, and it struck the king of Israel between the neck and the shoulder. And so he said to his chariot driver: “Turn your hand, and lead me away from the battle line. For I have been wounded.”

but, a certain man, drawing a bow in his innocence, smote the king of Israel between the shoulder-joints and the coat of mail, —wherefore he said to the charioteer, Turn thy hand, and convey me out of the host, for I am sore wounded.

34 And the fight ended on that day. But the king of Israel was standing in his chariot facing the Syrians, even until evening. And he died when the sun set.

But the battle increased on that day, and, the king of Israel, was propping himself up in the chariot before the Syrians, until evening, -and died at the time of the going in of the sun.