2 Chronicles 18

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.

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

2 After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved 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 Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?" He answered him, "I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you 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 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of the LORD."

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 to them, "Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?" 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, "Isn't there here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may inquire of him?"

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

7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla." Jehoshaphat said, "Do not let 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, "Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly."

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 were sitting in an open place 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 Zedekiah the son of Kenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'With these you shall push the Arameans, until they are 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 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 The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Look, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak 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 Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, whatever my God says to me, that I will speak."

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

14 When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?" He said, "Go up, and prosper. 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 The king said to him, "How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to 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 He said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. 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 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you 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 Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army 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 The LORD said, 'Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that 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 A spirit came out, stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' "The LORD said to him, 'How?'

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

21 "He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' "He said, 'You will entice him, and will 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, look, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and the LORD has pronounced disaster concerning 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 Kenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to 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 Micaiah said, "Look, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner room to hide yourself."

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

25 The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back to 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 says the king, "Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, 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 Micaiah said, "If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." He said, "Listen, you 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 king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

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

29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your 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, except 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 It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "It is the king of Israel." Therefore they turned around 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 It happened, 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 A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, "Turn your hand, and carry me out of the army; for I am severely 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 The battle increased that day. However the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Arameans until the evening; 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.