2 Chronicles 18

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.

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

2 And after a lapse of years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to 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 king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah: 'Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead?' And he answered him: 'I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the 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 unto the king of Israel: 'Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD today.'

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

5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said unto them: 'Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?' And they said: 'Go up; for God will deliver it 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 But Jehoshaphat said: 'Is there not here besides a prophet of the LORD, that we might inquire of him?'

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 unto Jehoshaphat: 'There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him; for he never prophesieth good concerning me, but always evil; the same is Micaiah the son of Imla.' And Jehoshaphat said: 'Let not the king say so.'

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 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said: 'Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.'

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 sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they sat in a threshing-floor at the entrance of 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 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said: 'Thus saith the LORD: With these shalt thou gore the Arameans, until they be consumed.'

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 so, saying: 'Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for the LORD will deliver it 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 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying: 'Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.'

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 said: 'As the LORD liveth, what my God saith, that will I speak.'

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

14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him: 'Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?' And he said: 'Go ye up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand.'

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 to him: 'How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth 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 And he said: 'I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd; and the LORD said: These have no master, let them return every man to his house in peace.'

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 thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but 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 And he said: 'Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting upon His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and on His 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 shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

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 And there came forth the spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said: I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him: Wherewith?

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 said: I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said: Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also; 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 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets; and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.'

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 came near, and smote Micaiah upon the check, and said: 'Which way went the spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?'

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: 'Behold, thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.'

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

25 And the king of Israel said: 'Take ye Micaiah; and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

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 say: Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with scant bread and with scant 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 thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me.' And he said: 'Hear, ye peoples, all of you.'

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

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

29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat: 'I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes.' So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.

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 Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying: 'Fight neither with small nor great, save only with 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 it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said: 'It is the king of Israel.' Therefore they turned about to fight against him; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart 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 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing 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 And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the lower armour and the breastplate; wherefore he said to the driver of the chariot: 'Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore 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 battle increased that day; howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Arameans until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.

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.