1 Kings 22
1 For almost three years there was no war between Syria and Israel.
And they remained [at rest] three years, there being no war between Syria and Israel.
2 Then King Jehoshaphat, who ruled Judah, went to [visit] King Ahab, who ruled Israel.
And it came to pass in the third year that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 [While they were talking, ] Ahab said to his officials, “Do you realize that the Syrians are still occupying our city of Ramoth in [the] Gilead [region]? And we are doing nothing to retake that city!”
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gil'ad is ours, and we remain idle, without taking it out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will your [army] join my [army] to fight against the people of Ramoth [and retake that city]?” Jehoshaphat replied, “[Certainly] I [will do whatever] you [want], and you may command my troops. You may take my horses into battle, also.”
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to the battle against Ramoth-gil'ad? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I [will be] like thee, my people like thy people, my horses like thy horses.
5 Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, today [first] of the word of the Lord.
6 So Ahab summoned about 400 of his prophets together, and he asked them, “Should my [army] go to fight the people in Ramoth and retake that city, or not?” They answered, “Yes, go [and attack them], because God will enable your [army] to defeat them.”
Then assembled the king of Israel the prophets, about four hundred men, and said unto them, shall I go against Ramoth-gil'ad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; and the Lord will deliver [it] into the hand of the king.
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”
And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Eternal besides, that we might inquire of him?
8 The King of Israel replied, “There is one man we can talk to. We can ask him if he can find out what Yahweh wants. His name is Micaiah; he is the son of Imlah. But I hate him, because when he (prophesies/tells what God says to him) he never says [that] anything good [will happen] to me. He always predicts [that] bad things [will happen to me].” Jehoshaphat replied, “King Ahab, you should not say that!”
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we might inquire of the Lord; but I hate him; for he will never prophesy good concerning me, but evil: [it is] Michayhu the son of Yimlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 So the king of Israel told one of his officers to summon Micaiah immediately.
Then called the king of Israel a certain officer, and said, Hasten hither Michayhu the son of Yimlah.
10 The king of Israel and the king of Judah were wearing their (royal robes/robes that showed that they were kings). They were sitting on thrones at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria [city]. All of Ahab’s prophets were standing in front of the kings, (prophesying/predicting what was going to happen).
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, dressed in their regal garments, in a threshing-floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11 One of them, whose name was Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron [something that resembled] horns of a bull. Then he proclaimed [to Ahab], “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns like these your [army] will keep attacking the Syrians [like a bull attacks another animal] [MET], until you completely destroy them!’”
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.
12 All the [other] prophets [of Ahab] agreed. They said, “Yes! If you go up to attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region], you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them!”
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gil'ad, and prosper; and the Lord will deliver it into the king's hand.
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are predicting that the king’s army will defeat the Syrians. So be sure that you agree with them and say (what will be favorable/that the king’s army will be successful).”
And the messenger that went to call Michayhu spoke unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets are with one voice good for the king: do let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of any one of them, and speak something good.
14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”
And Michayhu said, As the Lord liveth, truly, what the Lord may say unto me, that will I speak.
15 When Micaiah came to Ahab, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to fight against [the people of] Ramoth, or not?” Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!”
And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Michayhu, shall we go against Ramoth-gil'ad to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go up, and prosper; and may the Lord deliver it into the hand of the king.
16 But King Ahab [realized that Micaiah was (lying/being sarcastic), so he] said to Micaiah, “I have told you [RHQ] many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh [has revealed to you]!”
And the king said unto him, How many times yet must I adjure thee that thou shalt not speak to me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord?
17 So Micaiah said to him, “[The truth is that] in a vision I saw all the troops of Israel scattered on the mountains. They seemed to be like sheep that did not have a shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘Their master has been killed. So tell them all to go home peacefully.’”
And he said, 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.
18 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you [RHQ] that he never predicts [that] anything good [will happen to me]! He [always] predicts [that] bad things [will happen to me].”
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not say unto thee that he would not prophesy concerning me any good, but [only] evil?
19 But Micaiah continued, saying, “Listen to what Yahweh showed to me! [In a vision] I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, with all the armies of heaven surrounding him, on his right side and on his left side.
And he said, Therefore hear thou the word of the Lord, I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right and on his left.
20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab to go to fight against the people of Ramoth, in order that he may be killed there?’ Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else.
And the Lord said, Who will persuade Achab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gil'ad! And one said, In this manner, and another said, In that manner.
21 Finally one [evil] spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’
And there came forth a spirit, and placed himself before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?
22 Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’ The spirit replied, ‘I will go and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘You will be successful; go and do it!’
And he said, I will go forth, and I will be 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.
23 So now [I tell you that] Yahweh has caused all of your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”
And now, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets; but the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
24 Then Zedekiah walked over to Micaiah and slapped him on his face. He said, “Do you think that Yahweh’s Spirit left me in order to speak to you?” [RHQ]
And Zedekiah, the son of Kena'anah, went near, and struck Michayhu on the cheek, and said, Which way passed the Spirit of the Lord away from me to speak with thee!
25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself [which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken to] on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide [from the Syrian troops]!”
And Michayhu said, Behold, thou shalt see it on that day, when thou shalt go into the innermost chamber to hide thyself.
26 King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.
And the king of Israel said, Take Michayhu, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and unto Joash the king's son;
27 Tell them that I have commanded that they should put this man in prison and give him only bread and water. Do not give him anything else to eat until I return safely from the battle!”
And say, Thus hath said the king, Put this man in the prison, and feed him with sparing bread and with sparing water, until I come home in peace.
28 Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, [it will be clear that] it was not Yahweh who told me what to say to you!” Then he said [to all those who were standing there], “Do not forget what I have said [to King Ahab]!”
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!
29 So the King of Israel and the King of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].
So the king of Israel went up with Jehoshaphat the king of Judah to Ramoth-gil'ad.
30 King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will put on different clothes, [in order that no one will recognize that I am the king]. But you should wear your (royal robe/robe that shows that you are a king).” So Ahab disguised himself, and they both went into the battle.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but do thou put on thy regal garments. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31 The King of Syria told this to his thirty-two men who were driving the chariots: “Attack only the king of Israel!”
And the king of Syria had commanded the captains over his chariots, thirty-two [in number], saying, Fight neither with a small nor a great one, save only with the king of Israel alone.
32 So when the men who were driving the Syrian chariots saw Jehoshaphat [wearing (his royal robes/clothes that showed he was the king)], they pursued him. They shouted, “There is the king of Israel!” But when Jehoshaphat cried out,
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely this is the king of Israel. And they turned aside against him to fight: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 they realized that he was not the king of Israel. So they stopped pursuing him.
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.
34 But one [Syrian] soldier shot an arrow at Ahab, without knowing that it was Ahab. The arrow struck Ahab between the places where the parts of his armor joined together. Ahab told the driver of his chariot, “Turn the chariot around and take me out of here! I have been severely wounded!”
But a man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints and the armor; wherefore he said unto his chariot-driver. Turn about, and carry me out of the camp; for I am wounded.
35 The battle continued all the day. Ahab was sitting propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrian troops. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of the chariot. And late in the afternoon he died.
And the battle increased on that day; and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians; but he died in the evening: and the blood of the wound flowed down into the hollow of the chariot.
36 Just as the sun was going down, someone among the Israeli troops shouted, “[The battle is ended!] Everyone should return home!”
And there went a proclamation throughout the camp at the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own land.
37 So king Ahab died, and they took his body [in the chariot] to Samaria [city] and buried his body there.
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 They washed his chariot alongside the pool in Samaria, a pool where the prostitutes bathed. And dogs [came and] licked the king’s blood, just like Yahweh had predicted would happen.
And the chariot was washed out at the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood, as they washed his armor: according to the word of the Lord which he had spoken.
39 The account/record of the other things that happened while Ahab was ruling, and about the palace decorated with much ivory [that they built for him], and the cities that were built for him, was written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.
Now the rest of the acts of Achab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
40 When Ahab died, his body was buried where his ancestors were buried. Then his son Ahaziah became king.
So Achab slept with his fathers: and Achazyahu his son became king in his stead.
41 Before King Ahab died, when he had been ruling in Israel for four years, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat started to rule in Judah.
And Jehoshaphat the son of Assa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Achab the king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he started to rule, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he became king, and twenty and five years did he reign in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was 'Azubah the daughter of Shilchi.
43 Jehoshaphat was a good king, just like his father Asa had been. He did things that pleased Yahweh. But while he was king, he did not remove all the pagan altars [that the people had built] on the hilltops. So the people continued to offer sacrifices [to idols] on those altars and burned incense there.
And he walked in all the ways of Assa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord: Nevertheless the high-places were not removed; for the people still offered, and burnt incense on the high-places.
44 Jehoshaphat also made [a] peace [agreement] with the king of Israel.
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 All the other things that happened while Jehoshaphat was ruling, and the great things that he did and the victories his [troops] won, are written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Judah’.
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his mighty deeds that he showed, and how he warred, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.
46 Jehoshaphat’s father Asa [had tried to expel] the male prostitutes that stayed at the pagan shrines, but some of them were still there. Jehoshaphat got rid of them.
And the remnant of the sodomites, that had been left in the days of his father Assa, did he put away out of the land.
47 At that time, there was no king in Edom; a ruler who had been appointed by Jehoshaphat ruled there.
There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48 Jehoshaphat [ordered some Israeli men to] build a fleet/group of ships to sail [south] to [the] Ophir [region] to get gold. But they were wrecked at Ezion-Geber/Elath, so the ships never sailed.
Jehoshaphat made Tharshish-ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not; for the ships were wrecked at 'Ezyon-geber.
49 Before the ships were wrecked, Ahab’s son Ahaziah suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Allow my sailors to go with your sailors,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
Then said Achazyahu the son of Achab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 When Jehoshaphat died, his [body] was buried where his ancestors were buried in [Jerusalem, ] the city where King David [had ruled]. Then Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king.
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son became king in his stead.
51 Before King Jehoshaphat died, when he had been ruling in Judah for 17 years, Ahab’s son Ahaziah began to rule in Israel. Ahaziah ruled in Samaria for two years.
Achazyahu the son of Achab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah; and he reigned over Israel two years.
52 He did many things that Yahweh considered to be evil, doing the [evil] things that his father and mother had done and the evil things that Jeroboam had done—the king who had led all the Israeli people to sin [by worshiping idols].
And he did what is evil in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, who had induced Israel to sin.
53 Ahaziah bowed in front of Baal’s idol and worshiped it. That caused Yahweh, the God who was the true God of the Israeli people, to become very angry, just as Ahaziah’s father had caused Yahweh to become angry.
And he served Ba'al, and bowed down to him, and he provoked to anger the Lord the God of Israel, all just as his father had done.
