1 Kings 22
1 For three years Aram and Israel were not at war.
And there continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went to visit the king of Israel.
But it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down unto the king of Israel.
3 The king of Israel had said to his officers, “Aren't you aware that Ramoth-gilead really belongs to us and yet we haven't done anything to take it back from the king of Aram?”
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that, ours, is Ramoth-gilead, —yet, we, are too idle to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you join me in an attack to recapture Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “You and I are as one, my men and your men are as one, and my horses and your horses are as one.”
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to make war upon Ramoth-gilead?
5 Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “But first though, please find out what the Lord says.”
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people are us thy people, my horses as thy horses.
6 So the king of Israel brought out the prophets—four hundred of them—and he asked them, “Should I go up and attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?” “Yes, go ahead,” they replied, “for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”
Then said Jehoshaphat unto the king of Israel, —Seek, I pray thee, at once, the word of Yahweh. So the king of Israel gathered together the prophets, about four hundred men, and said unto them—Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead, to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said—Go up, that the Lord may deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn't there another prophet of the Lord here that we can ask?”
Then said Jehoshaphat, Is there not here a prophet of Yahweh, besides, —that we may seek, from him?
8 “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.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Besides, is a certain man, by whom we might seek Yahweh, but, I, hate him, for he is never moved to prophesy concerning me anything good, only evil, Micaiah, son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 The king of Israel called over one of his officials and told him, “Bring me Micaiah, son of Imlah, right away.”
Then the king of Israel called a certain courtier, —and said, Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.
10 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.
Now, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, were sitting—each man upon his throne, having put on robes, in a level place, at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, —and, all the prophets, were being moved to prophesy before them;
11 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!”
when Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, —and said—Thus, saith Yahweh, —With these, shalt thou push down the Syrians, until thou hast consumed them.
12 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.”
And, all the prophets, were being moved to prophesy, in like manner, saying, —Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and thou shalt prosper, and Yahweh will deliver it, into the hand of the king.
13 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.”
Now, the messenger who went to call Micaiah, spake unto him, saying, Behold, I pray thee, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, are good, as touching the king, let thy word, I pray thee, be as the word of one of them, so wilt thou speak that which is good.
14 But Micaiah replied, “As the Lord lives, I can only say what my God tells me.”
And Micaiah said, —By the life of Yahweh, what Yahweh saith unto me, that, will I, speak.
15 When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Should we go up and attack Ramoth-gilead, or should we not?” “Yes, go ahead and be victorious,” Micaiah replied, “for the Lord will give it into the king's hand.”
So he came unto the king, and the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he said unto him—Go up and prosper, and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.
16 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?”
And the king said unto him, How many times must, I, adjure thee, —that thou speak unto me nothing but truth, in the name of Yahweh?
17 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.’”
And he said—I saw all Israel, scattered among the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd, —so Yahweh said, These have, no masters, let them return every man unto his own house, in peace.
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn't I tell you he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad?”
Then said the king of Israel, unto Jehoshaphat, —Did I not say unto thee, He will not be moved to prophesy concerning me anything good, only calamity.
19 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.
Then he said, Therefore, hear thou the word of Yahweh, —I saw Yahweh, sitting upon his throne, and all the host of the heavens, standing by him, on his right hand, and on his left.
20 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.
And Yahweh said, Who will persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall, at Ramoth-gilead? And, one, said in this manner, and, another, said in that manner.
21 Finally a spirit came and approached the Lord and said, ‘I will trick him.’
Then came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said—I, will persuade him.
22 ‘How are you going to do that?’ the Lord asked. ‘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.’
And Yahweh said unto him—Wherewith? And he said—I will go forth, and become a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets, —So he said, —Thou mayest persuade, yea and prevail, go forth, and do so.
23 As you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced your death sentence.”
Now, therefore, lo! Yahweh hath suffered a spirit of falsehood to be put into the mouth of all these thy prophets. But, Yahweh himself, hath spoken concerning thee, calamity.
24 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?”
Then drew near Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, —and said—Where then passed the Spirit of Yahweh, from me, to speak unto thee?
25 “You'll soon find out when you try and find some secret place to hide!” Micaiah replied.
Then said Micaiah, Lo! thou art about to see, on that day, —when thou enterest a chamber within a chamber, to hide thyself.
26 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.
And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon captain of the city, —and unto Joash son of the king;
27 Tell them these are the king's instructions: ‘Put this man in jail. Give him only bread and water until my safe return.’”
and thou shalt say—Thus, saith the king, Put this man into the prison, —and let him eat the bread of oppression, with the water of oppression, until I enter in peace.
28 “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!”
Then said Micaiah, If thou, return, in peace, Yahweh hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you!
29 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went to attack Ramoth-gilead.
So the king of Israel went up, with Jehoshaphat king of Judah, unto Ramoth-gilead.
30 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.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat—I am about to disguise myself, and enter into the battle, thou, therefore, put on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into the battle.
31 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.”
Now, the king of Syria, had commanded the captains of chariots which he had, thirty and two, saying, Ye shall not fight with small or great, —save with the king of Israel alone.
32 So when the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “This must be the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat called out for help,
And it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw Jehoshaphat, that, they, said: Surely it is, the king of Israel! But, when they turned aside against him to fight, Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 the chariot commanders saw it wasn't the king of Israel and stopped chasing him.
And it came to pass, when the chariot-captains saw that it was, not the king of Israel, that they turned back, from pursuing him.
34 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!”
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 his charioteer—Turn thy hand, and convey me out of the host, for I am sore wounded.
35 The battle lasted all day. The king of Israel was propped up in his chariot to face the Arameans, but in the evening he died. The blood had poured out of his wound onto the floor of the chariot.
But the battle increased that day, and, the king, was propped up in the chariot, before the Syrians, —and died in the evening, and so the blood of the wound ran out into the hollow of the chariot.
36 At sunset, a shout went out from the lines: “Retreat! Every man back to his town, every man back to his own country!”
And a loud cry went through the host, at the going in of the sun, saying—Every man to his own city! and every man to his own land!
37 So the king died. He was taken back to Samaria where they buried him.
So the king died, and was brought into Samaria, —and they buried the king, in Samaria.
38 They washed his chariot at a pool in Samaria where the prostitutes came to bathe, and dogs licked up his blood, just as the Lord had said.
And, when the chariot was washed out at the pool of Samaria, the dogs lapped up his blood, also, the harlots, bathed [there], —according to the word of Yahweh which he had spoken.
39 The rest of what happened in Ahab's reign, all that he did, the ivory palace he constructed and all the cities he built are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Now, the rest of the story of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 Ahab died and his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
So Ahab slept with his fathers, —and, Ahaziah his son, reigned, in his stead.
41 Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, became king of Judah in the fourth year of the reign of Ahab, king of Israel.
Now, Jehoshaphat son of Asa, began to reign over Judah, —in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat, was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and, twenty-five years, reigned he in Jerusalem, —and, the name of his mother, was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.
43 He followed all the ways of his father; he did not depart from them, and he did what was right in the Lord's sight. However, the high places were not removed and the people still sacrificed and presented offerings there.
And he walked in all the way of Asa his father, he turned not aside therefrom, —doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh: nevertheless, the high places, were not taken away, —still were the people offering sacrifices and burning incense in the high places.
44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 The rest of what happened in Jehoshaphat's reign, his great achievements and the wars he fought are recorded in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.
Now, the rest of the story of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are, they, not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 He expelled from the land any cult prostitutes who were left from the time of his father Asa.
Moreover, the rest of the male devotees who remained in the days of Asa his father, he consumed out of the land.
47 (At that time there was no king in Edom; only a deputy who served as king.)
And, king, was there none in Edom, a prefect, was king.
48 Jehoshaphat built sea-going ships to go to Ophir for gold, but they went because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
Jehoshaphat, made ships of Tarshish, to go to Ophir, for gold; but they went not, —for ships had been broken to pieces in Ezion-geber.
49 During that time Ahaziah, son of Ahab, asked Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with your men,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
Then, said Ahaziah son of Ahab, unto Jehoshaphat, Let, my servants, go with, thy servants, in the ships, —but Jehoshaphat did not consent.
50 Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his forefathers in the City of David. His son Jehoram succeeded him as king.
So Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers, in the city of David his father, —and, Jehoram his son, reigned, in his stead.
51 Ahaziah, son of Ahab, became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years.
Ahaziah son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel, in Samaria, in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, —and reigned over Israel, two years.
52 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight and followed the ways of his father and mother, and of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.
And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh, —and went in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused, Israel, to sin.
53 He served Baal and worshiped him, and angered the Lord, the God of Israel, just as his father had.
Yea he served Baal, and bowed down to him, —and provoked to anger Yahweh, God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.
