2 Chronicles 18

1 And Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he intermarried with Achab.

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

2 And he went down after [some] years to Achab to Samaria. And Achab killed for him sheep and oxen in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and persuaded him to go up to Ramoth-gil'ad.

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 Then said Achab the king of Israel unto Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me against Ramoth-gil'ad! And he said to him, I [will be] like thee, and my people [shall be] as thy people; and we will be with thee in the battle.

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 Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, today [first] of the word of the Lord.

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

5 Then did the king of Israel assemble the prophets, four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gil'ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and God will deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

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 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Eternal besides, that we 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 said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him; for he never prophesieth any good concerning me, but at all times evil: it is Michayhu the son of Yimla. And Jehoshaphat 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 Then called the king of Israel a certain court-officer, and said, “Hasten hither Michayhu the son of Yimla.”

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

9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, dressed in their royal garments, and they were sitting in a threshing-floor at the entrance 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 Zedekiah the son of Kena'anah had made himself horns of iron; and he said, Thus hath said the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians until thou have made an end of 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 up against Ramoth-gil'ad, and prosper, and the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand.

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 Michayhu spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets are with one voice good for the king: so do let thy word, I pray thee, be like [that of] any one of them, and speak something 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 Michayhu said, As the Lord liveth, truly what my God may say, that will I speak.

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

14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Michah, shall we go to Ramoth-gil'ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and may they be delivered 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 said to him, How many times yet must I adjure thee that thou shalt not speak to me any thing but the truth 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 said he, I saw all Israel scattered over the mountains, as flocks that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return every 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 said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not say unto thee that he would not prophesy concerning me any good, but [only] for evil?

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 And he said, Therefore hear ye the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right and 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 said, Who will persuade Achab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gil'ad? And one said—one saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

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 came there forth a spirit, and placed himself before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?

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

21 And he said, I will go forth, and I will become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou wilt persuade him, and also prevail: go 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 And now, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets: but the Lord hath spoken evil concerning 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 And Zedekiah the son of Kena'anah went near, and struck Michayhu on the cheek, and said, Which is the way the Spirit of the Lord passed away from me to speak 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 Michayhu said, Behold, thou shalt see it on that day when thou shalt go into the innermost chamber to hide thyself.

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 said, Take ye Michayhu, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

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 ye, Thus hath said the king, Put this man in the prison, and feed him with sparing bread and with sparing water, until I return 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 Michayhu said, If thou return at all in peace, then hath the Lord not spoken through me. And he said, Hear it, O all ye nations!

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

28 And the king of Israel went up with Jehoshaphat the king of Judah to Ramoth-gil'ad.

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

29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but do thou put on thy royal garments. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.

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 Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that he had, saying, Fight ye not with the small or with the great, save only with the king of Israel alone.

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 it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, This is the king of Israel. And they encompassed him to fight; and Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God induced them to go away 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 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from following 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 But a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints and the armor: wherefore he said to the chariot-driver, Turn about, and carry me out of the camp; for I am wounded.

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 battle increased on that day: and the king of Israel stayed [himself] up in the chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and he died at the time of the sun's going down.

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.