2 Chronicles 18

1 And Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, but he was ioyned in affinitie with Ahab.

Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; he allied himself with Ahab by having one of his family marry his daughter.

2 And after certaine yeeres he went downe to Ahab to Samaria: and Ahab slew sheepe and oxen for him in great nomber, and for the people that he had with him, and entised him to goe vp vnto Ramoth Gilead.

After some years, he went down to Ahab in Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him. Ahab also persuaded him to attack Ramoth Gilead with him.

3 And Ahab King of Israel saide vnto Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, Wilt thou goe with mee to Ramoth Gilead? And hee answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people, and wee will ioyne with thee in the warre.

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

4 And Iehoshaphat sayde vnto the King of Israel, Aske counsel, I pray thee, at the worde of the Lord this day.

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please first seek the word of Yahweh for your answer.”

5 Therefore the King of Israel gathered of Prophets foure hundreth men, and sayde vnto them, Shall we goe to Ramoth Gilead to battel, or shall I cease? And they sayd, Go vp: for God shall deliuer it into the Kings hand.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Should we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I not?” They said, “Attack, for God will give it into the hand of the king.”

6 But Iehoshaphat sayde, Is there heere neuer a Prophet more of the Lord that wee might inquire of him?

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here still another prophet of Yahweh with whom we might seek advice?”

7 And the King of Israel sayd vnto Iehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whome wee may aske counsell of the Lord, but I hate him: for he doeth not prophesie good vnto me, but alway euil: it is Michaiah the sonne of Imla. Then Iehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may seek the advice of Yahweh, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” But Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say that.”

8 And the King of Israel called an eunuche, and said, Call quickly Michaiah the sonne of Imla.

Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

9 And the King of Israel, and Iehoshaphat King of Iudah sate either of them on his throne clothed in their apparel: they sate euen in the threshing floore at the entring in of the gate of Samaria: and all the Prophets prophesied before them.

Now Ahab the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on a throne, clothed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

10 And Zidkiah ye sonne of Chenaanah made him hornes of yron, and sayde, Thus sayth the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Aramites vntill thou hast consumed them.

Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “Yahweh says this: With these you will push the Arameans until they are consumed.”

11 And all the Prophets prophesied so, saying, Go vp to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the King.

All the prophets prophesied the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead and win, for Yahweh has given it into the hand of the king.”

12 And the messenger that went to call Michaiah, spake to him, saying, Beholde, the wordes of the Prophets declare good to the King with one accord: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speake thou good.

The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the words of the prophets with one mouth are favorable to the king. Let your words agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”

13 And Michaiah saide, As the Lord liueth, whatsoeuer my God saith, that will I speake.

Micaiah replied, “As Yahweh lives, it is what God says that I will say.”

14 So he came to the King, and the King said vnto him, Michaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battel, or shall I leaue off? And he said, Goe yee vp, and prosper, and they shalbe deliuered into your hand.

When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth Gilead for battle, or not?” Micaiah answered him, “Attack and be victorious! For it will be a great victory.”

15 And the King sayd to him, Howe oft shall I charge thee, that thou tell mee nothing but the trueth in the Name of the Lord?

Then the king said to him, “How many times must I require you to swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”

16 Then he said, I saw al Israel scattered in the mountaines, as sheepe that haue no shepheard: and the Lord sayd, These haue no Master: let them returne euery man to his house in peace.

So Micaiah said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep who have no shepherd, and Yahweh said, 'These have no shepherd. Let every man return to his house in peace.'”

17 And the King of Israel sayde to Iehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would not prophesie good vnto me, but euill?

So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only disaster?”

18 Againe hee saide, Therefore heare ye the worde of the Lord: I sawe the Lord sit vpon his throne, and all the hoste of heauen standing at his right hand, and at his left.

Then Micaiah said, “Therefore all of you should hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven were standing on his right hand and on his left.

19 And the Lord sayd, Who shall perswade Ahab King of Israel, that he may go vp, and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one spake and said thus, and another said that.

Yahweh said, 'Who will entice Ahab, king of Israel, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said this and another that.

20 Then there came forth a spirit and stoode before the Lord, and said, I will perswade him. And the Lord said vnto him, Wherein?

Then a spirit came forward and it stood before Yahweh and said, 'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'

21 And he saide, I will goe out, and bee a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. And hee said, Thou shalt perswade, and shalt also preuaile: goe forth and do so.

The spirit replied, 'I will go out and I will become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Yahweh replied, 'You will entice him, and you will also be successful. Go now and do so.'

22 Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a false spirit in the mouth of these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath determined euill against thee.

Now see, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has decreed disaster for you.”

23 Then Zidkiah the sonne of Chenaanah came neere, and smote Michaiah vpon the cheeke, and sayde, By what way went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to speake with thee?

Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, came up, slapped Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh take to go from me to speak to you?”

24 And Michaiah saide, Behold, thou shalt see that day when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber to hide thee.

Micaiah said, “Look, you will know that on that day, when you run into some inner room to hide.”

25 And the King of Israel sayde, Take ye Michaiah, and cary him to Amon the gouernour of the citie, and to Ioash the Kings sonne,

The king of Israel said to some servants, “You people seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, my son.

26 And say, Thus saith the King, Put this man in the prison house, and feede him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vntil I returne in peace.

You people will say to him, 'The king says: Put this man in prison and feed him with only a little bread and only a little water, until I return safely.'”

27 And Michaiah said, If thou returne in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he saide, Heare, all ye people.

Then Micaiah said, “If you return safely, then Yahweh has not spoken by me.” Then he added, “Listen to this, all you people.”

28 So the King of Israel and Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah went vp to Ramoth Gilead.

So Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up against Ramoth Gilead.

29 And the King of Israel said vnto Iehoshaphat, I will change my selfe, and enter into the battel: but put thou on thine apparel. So the King of Israel changed himselfe, and they went into the battel.

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

30 And the King of Aram had commanded the captaines of the charets that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small, nor great, but against the King of Israel onely.

Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not attack the unimportant or the important soldiers. Instead, attack only the king of Israel.”

31 And when the captaines of the charets saw Iehoshaphat, they sayde, It is the King of Israel: and they compassed about him to fight. But Iehoshaphat cryed, and the Lord helped him and moued them to depart from him.

It came about that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat they said, “That is the king of Israel.” They turned around to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him. God turned them away from him.

32 For when the captaines of the charets saw that hee was not the King of Israel, they turned backe from him.

It came about that when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

33 Then a certaine man drewe a bowe mightily, and smote the King of Israel betweene the ioyntes of his brigandine: Therefore he saide to his charetman, Turne thine hand, and carie mee out of the host: for I am hurt.

But a certain man drew his bow at random and shot the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. Then Ahab said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded.”

34 And the battel increased that day: and the King of Israel stood still in his charet against the Aramites vntil euen, and dyed at the time of the sunne going downe.

The battle grew worse that day, and the king of Israel was held up in his chariot facing the Arameans until the evening. About the time that the sun was going down, he died.